In Alaska, Stevens’ long reign is over

Sen. Ted Stevens, Republican of Alaska, already was a convicted felon when voters cast their ballots in this month’s elections. Now, after an embarrassingly close race and a tearful farewell from the Senate, he’s a private citizen again. Alaskans can take credit for belatedly turning on their corrupt representative, who held his job since Eisenhower was president through his lavish embrace of porcine politics. No one brought home the bacon better than Stevens.

FOR THE RECORD:
Sen. Ted Stevens: A Nov. 22 editorial said the Alaskan Republican had “held his job since Eisenhower was president.” He served in Washington since then, but not always in the Senate. —

His replacement isn’t exactly our version of a perfect senator. Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich, a Democrat, is a lifetime member of the National Rifle Assn. and a die-hard supporter of gun rights. He also favors drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Yet Begich has his moments. He wants to expand renewable energy resources and opposes such Bush administration initiatives as warrantless wiretapping and the Guantanamo Bay detention facility.

Begich’s victory also foreclosed one goofy scenario: that Stevens would win and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin would give up her office in return for her successor naming her to the vacancy created by Stevens’ departure from the Senate. The Senate has survived worse than Palin, and it may yet get the chance. For now, Alaska’s electorate has spared us the spectacle of a McCain-Palin reunion in Washington, with Joe Biden presiding.