Young and Stevens trail in Kos pollBy Katie Stapleton-Paff Alaska Republicans need to kick things up a notch in order to win in November, according to the latest poll results released Thursday by Research 2000 for Daily Kos. The poll showed indicted GOP Sen. Ted Stevens trailing Democratic challenger Mark Begich 50-44 and embattled GOP Rep. Don Young lagging behind Democrat Ethan Berkowitz by 13 percentage points, 52-39. A federal grand jury indicted Stevens earlier this year for failing to report gifts received from Veco Corp. and its CEO, Bill Allen, on his Senate financial disclosure forms. Jury selection in the trial began Monday. House Republicans face an even steeper climb. Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell, who conceded his primary loss Thursday but was included in the poll, continued to fare better against Berkowitz in polling, trailing by just five points, 48-43. Parnell lost to Young by only 304 votes and was widely expected to ask for a recount, but announced Thursday night that he trusted the work of state election officials and didn’t wish to spend state money on one. Young, who has held his seat for 35 years, is currently being investigated as part of a broad federal inquiry into Alaskan government. Shortly after Parnell announced his concession, the environmental group Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund said it would begin targeting Young for what it deems “unethical behavior and a refusal to protect Alaska from the causes of global warming.” |
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