Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Not Quite Framing the House - Alaska

WE'VE MOVED! Democratic Convention Watch is now at http://www.DemocraticConventionWatch.com

This race won't be officially framed until after the Democrat is chosen in the 26 August primary, but whichever Democrat wins, he/she will be running against Don Young.

You'd think this would be a tough race, since the seat has been in Republican hands ever since Rep Nick Begich (yes, father of current Democratic Senate Candidate Mark Begich) was killed with Hale Boggs in a plane crash in 1972.

However, never underestimate the damage candidates can do against themselves.

Taxpayers for Common Sense recently discovered a memo to Young's interns, which, in addition to pointing out gems like when Mrs. Young says sunflower seeds, she means pumpkin seeds, and you should always eat what she tells you to, also has a nice section on lobbyists.

To wit, TCS lists out the lobbyists who can speak with whomever they wish in the office. Included on the list is the brother of Tom Delay. (It would be nice if all people would smile so broadly in their mug shots.)

So while we don't know who the Democrat will be, nor how much money he/she will bring to the race, we already know that this race will be competitive in a state targeted by Obama on the Presidential side, and by the FBI on the corruption side.

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You're forgetting Sean Parnell on the R side.
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i really want berkowitz to win this but this looks just like lucy setting up the football for us. tony knowles would have beaten murkowski fairly easily in '06 but then palin stole it away. now parnell is poised to do the same with this house seat. he raised no money at the last filing period because he'd just gotten into the race a couple of weeks before. besides money can't buy Don Young love and Parnell was leading him by 3 in the only poll of the race. parnell has the 2 things you need he's A) a republican in AK and B) not Don Young.

if Parnell hasn't raised much by the july 15th report, i'll start to feel good about it, but i'm filled with dread right now. Does anyone know what Young is doing with his cash?
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1 reply · active 871 weeks ago
His largest expeditures, over a million bucks in total, is to Akin Gump Strauss Hauer, and Tobin, OConnor, Ewing, & Richard, DC law firms, for legal fees. I don't know specifically what it's for, but we all have the same gut feeling, I'm sure, that ever popular "white collar legal defense". The rest of it is a normal combination of advertising, charitable contributions, travel, food, lodging, phone calls, print media, trips to Vegas, things like that.
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