The Republican's longest serving US Senator Ted Steven's has lost out to the Democratic Mayor of Anchorage Mark Begich, after the recount. He is 3,724 behind with only 2,500 overseas votes to be counted.
In the lead up to the election Stevens had been convicted of about gifts he had received from an oil company. But the early voters and absentee ballots which would have been cast before this news was finalised did not in the end affect the outcome. Begich has become the first Democrat to represent the state in the senate for 30 years.
The Democrats are now on 58 out of the hundred senate seats just shot of the filibuster breaking 60 required for a super majority. With Minnesota about to start its recount where the Democrat Al Franken, a comedian, trails the Republican incumbant by only 206 only 0.007%* behind. The other contest still undecided sees Republican Saxby Chambliss, who had advocated then retracted arresting any Muslims who crossed the state line after 9-11, facing Jim Martin his challenger in a run off vote on December 2 after he failed to secure the 50% of the vote required to be elected on the first ballot.
* Very Bond-esque.
Not entirely sure on what basis Jim Martin qualifies as African-American?
ReplyDeleteThat's what I get for editing out an almost whole sentance about Martins concern about the African American not turning out a second time without the need to elect Barack Obama.
ReplyDelete