AL-AK: A Race For A Change

Usually one of the safest Republican seats in the country, a recent poll shows Democratic challenger Ethan Berkowitz leading 17 term Congressman Don Young 51%-45.5%.

Despite representating the entire state of Alaska, where President Bush won 61% of the vote, Young has been awash in scandal and his disapproval is at 50%.

Ethan Berkowitz is not the only challenger to Young, 2006 candidate Diane Benson who won 40%, the highest percentage for a Democratic candidate since 1990, is also running again.

Young is also facing a primary challenger in State Rep. Gabrielle DeVour of Kodiak. DeVour may make this race similiar to the 2006 Gubernatorial race, where Democratic challenger Tony Knowles seemed to be heading for certain victory against unpopular incumbent Republican Governor Frank Murkowski, until Murkowski was defeated by current Governor Sarah Palin in the primary. Although the race was close, Palin pulled out a victory.

This race is going to depend on the Republican Primary. Slight Lean Republican

AK-AL: Berkowitz In

Former State Representative Ethan Berkowitz, who served six years as State House Minority Leader and was the Democratic nominee for Lt. Governor last night, has decided to run for the Alaska's At-Large Congressional seat against longtime Republican Don Young.

Berkowitz is the strongest challenger for the seat in years. Young has usually managed to get around 70% of the vote in every election. Last year he got an abnormally small 56% against a relative unknown, Diane Benson, who got 40%.

Although the district is R+14 and went 61% for Bush in 2004, A Democratic victory is not out of the question here, especially with Berkowitz. Young's approval rating is in the tank and he's marred in scandal.

The other news about this is that Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich, whose father held the seat before young, will probably not run, making it more likely he'll run for Ted Stevens' seat in the US Senate.

With Berkowitz in, and Young's tanking approval ratings, I put this at Lean Republican