Ted Stevens Loses Race For Alaskan Senate

[FSTargetDrone]

Quick story:

Stevens loses Alaska Senate race

Story Published: Nov 18, 2008 at 5:44 PM PST

Story Updated: Nov 18, 2008 at 5:44 PM PST

By MICHAEL R. BLOOD Associated Press Writer

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens has lost his bid for a seventh term.

The longest-serving Republican in the history of the Senate trailed Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich by 3,724 votes after Tuesday's count.

That's an insurmountable lead with only about 2,500 overseas ballots left to be counted.

Stevens, who turned 85 Tuesday, also revealed that he will not ask President George W. Bush to give him a pardon for his seven felony convictions.

Excellent news.

[Pelranius]

*engages in a gloating binge*

Well, at least this means there will be no chance of Caribou Barbie showing up in the Senate (though I personally doubt even Palin would have the gall to appoint herself in Stevens' seat)

Now if only Coleman and Sturm- I mean Chambliss also go down in defeat.

[Slacker]

Ultimately, I'd be okay with 59 if it was because Coleman won the recount and Martin beat that scumsucking douche tool in Georgia. Coleman's no Democrat, but he's a pretty moderate voice on the Republican side of the aisle. Chambliss is just a piece of garbage. 59 with Snowe or Spector or one of the other moderates should be enough to get most of what needs to be done without too much drama.

[Patrick Degan]

*engages in a gloating binge*

Well, at least this means there will be no chance of Caribou Barbie showing up in the Senate (though I personally doubt even Palin would have the gall to appoint herself in Stevens' seat)

She could not have appointed herself or anybody to fill the Felon's seat if she wanted. Alaska law mandates a special election to choose a replacement senator.

Still, it is indeed good news.

[The Romulan Republic]

Another one bites the dust.

How many races are still unresolved?

[Pelranius]

*engages in a gloating binge*

Well, at least this means there will be no chance of Caribou Barbie showing up in the Senate (though I personally doubt even Palin would have the gall to appoint herself in Stevens' seat)

She could not have appointed herself or anybody to fill the Felon's seat if she wanted. Alaska law mandates a special election to choose a replacement senator.

Still, it is indeed good news.

Thanks, my bad. But I wouldn't be surprised if she ran and somehow got elected (hey, those people actually made her their governor).

[Patrick Degan]

Another one bites the dust.

How many races are still unresolved?

Two at this point: the Georgia runoff Saxby Chambliss hoped to avoid, and the ongoing recount in the Coleman/Franken Minnesota race.

[SAMAS]

One would say his career has gone down a series of tubes.

[Lancer]

One would say his career has gone down a series of tubes.

I would say that it was run over and dumped into the back of a big truck.

[The Romulan Republic]

Another one bites the dust.

How many races are still unresolved?

Two at this point: the Georgia runoff Saxby Chambliss hoped to avoid, and the ongoing recount in the Coleman/Franken Minnesota race.

What was the result of the Minnesota race first time around, and who's ahead in the runoff? As in, how likely are the democrats to get to 60 seats?

[Pelranius]

Coleman had only a margin of victory of about 200 votes in Minnesota and Franken is suing over the invalidation of some absentee ballots. I don't know about Georgia, but I hope a video of Chambliss in klukker robes and ranting about President to be Obama will make the rounds.

[The Original Nex]

I would just like to reiterate that while I would applaud any additional Democratic members to the Senate, all this "magic 60 seats" talk really isn't as all important as some make it out to be. If the Dems end up with 58 or 59 seats including Lieberman and Sanders They will be able to get a lot of legislation done. The "magic" of sixty seats is that it is not only veto, but also filibuster proof; however cloture votes RARELY are decided by the party line; there is almost always bleedthrough from both sides. Admittedly with a Democratic President and agenda the Democrats will likely be more disciplined on maintaining unity in cloture votes than they were under Bush, and there are still moderate Republicans who appreciate the spirit of bipartisanship and will do their best to work with the Majority. So even with 58 or 59 seats, the Democrats should be able to garner enough Republican votes to reach a cloture in most cases. Sens. Snowe, Collins, Specter and Lugar at the very least will likely be the most bipartisan on the Republican side of the aisle.

[ArcturusMengsk]

Sens. Snowe, Collins, Specter and Lugar at the very least will likely be the most bipartisan on the Republican side of the aisle.

There's even talk of McCain being more amicable to the Democrats than he appeared to be during the general election, because he knows his time is short and he wants to cement his legacy as a 'maverick'.

[General Zod]

I would just like to reiterate that while I would applaud any additional Democratic members to the Senate, all this "magic 60 seats" talk really isn't as all important as some make it out to be. If the Dems end up with 58 or 59 seats including Lieberman and Sanders They will be able to get a lot of legislation done.

Only if Lieberman stops being a douchebag anyway. Considering his support of McCain during the elections having him in isn't necessarily all that useful.

[Illuminatus Primus]

Sens. Snowe, Collins, Specter and Lugar at the very least will likely be the most bipartisan on the Republican side of the aisle.

There's even talk of McCain being more amicable to the Democrats than he appeared to be during the general election, because he knows his time is short and he wants to cement his legacy as a 'maverick'.

Not to mention the far right blaming him for everything under the Sun, and betraying the fanatic brand.

[Stormbringer]

I would just like to reiterate that while I would applaud any additional Democratic members to the Senate, all this "magic 60 seats" talk really isn't as all important as some make it out to be. If the Dems end up with 58 or 59 seats including Lieberman and Sanders They will be able to get a lot of legislation done.

Only if Lieberman stops being a douchebag anyway. Considering his support of McCain during the elections having him in isn't necessarily all that useful.

As amusingly pissed off as people are about Joe Lieberman around here, he's still far more in line with the Democrats than the current Republican party. He's got a bug up his ass about national security but the Dems can count on him a for a lot of domestic issues.

[The Original Nex]

I would just like to reiterate that while I would applaud any additional Democratic members to the Senate, all this "magic 60 seats" talk really isn't as all important as some make it out to be. If the Dems end up with 58 or 59 seats including Lieberman and Sanders They will be able to get a lot of legislation done.

Only if Lieberman stops being a douchebag anyway. Considering his support of McCain during the elections having him in isn't necessarily all that useful.

I think he will. He knows that he's much better off playing nice with the Obama administration and being part of the Majority than otherwise. He knows that Obama could have had the Senate throw him out on his ass. Obama didn't. There was some definite behind the scenes "turning of the other cheek" on the President-elect's office and the Democratic Caucus got the message. I'm guessing Lieberman did too.

[Medic]

One would say his career has gone down a series of tubes.

I would say that it was run over and dumped into the back of a big truck.

Has it occurred to anyone else that 2 of the most hilarious / embarrassing moments for elected politicians in this young century both came from Alaskan public servants? First Ted Stevens... series of tubes then Palin's pitiful interview with Katie Couric. To be fair though, the exposure to the former doesn't reach Palin's escapades into the surreal, even if you do factor in the YouTube, Keith Olbermann, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert all lampooning the former (ah, sounds and feels good ) senior Senator from Alaska.

That being as it is, sanity prevailed in Alaska -- there's hope yet in America's arctic, although all bets remain off if you're a wolf.

[CmdrWilkens]

So Stevens has conceded and for the Senate we have Chambliss/Martin runoff and the Coleman/Franken recount. There are also a few House races unresolved. I believe OH-15 and CA-04 were still up in the air.