Alaska Sen. Mark Begich (D) is more than a little vulnerable

By Richard K. Barry

We will be hearing a lot about how Republicans have a very good shot at taking back the Senate in 2014. One of the many reasons is Sen. Mark Begich in Alaska. You may know that Alaska is a very red state. It is a state in which President Obama managed only 43 percent of the vote last year.

In 2008, when Begich won the seat, he did it by a mere 47.8 to 46.5 percent margin. And his opponent was the profoundly ethically challenged Ted Stevens who, if reelected, would have been "the first convicted felon elected to the U.S. Senate." (Funny, I would have thought there were others.)

The issue for Begich in 2014 is the competition. Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell is likely going to run for the Republicans as is Joe Miller. You will recall that Miller, with the backing of Sarah Palin, won the GOP Senate nomination in 2010 only to lose in the general election to incumbent Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R) who famously won as a write-in candidate.

Facing Miller again, who is likely to be as crazy in 2014 as he was in 2010, would be a good thing for Begich. Running against Treadwell would be a problem.

A hint of how tough it will be for Begich can be found on his website, which flashes the slogan:
"As Independent as Alaska."

And then there is the possibility that Palin could run, which I would doubt. You've got to love Sen. Murkowski's comments about that possibility:

I think there are a lot of outside interests that would like to see Sarah Palin in some form of elected office. Most in Alaska recognize our former governor is really not involved in or engaged in the state anymore, that she’s moved to other interests. In order for you to represent the state of Alaska, you’ve got to be in the state.

Brrrrrr. Is it cold in here?

(Cross-posted at Phantom Public.)