“I think you never say never in politics.”
— Former Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK), quoted by Politico, when asked whether he’d run against Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) in 2016.
Begich Will Not Run for Mayor
Former Sen. Mark Begich’s (D-AK) “next move is no longer a secret — he will not be running for the Mayor of Anchorage in this year’s election,” KTVA reports.
Said Begich: “I think I could offer a lot to the city as mayor. But, at the same time, those offices can come and go.”
Begich Mulls Bid for Anchorage Mayor
Alaska Dispatch News: “The field of candidates who will vie to become Anchorage mayor next year is expected to crystallize in the next few weeks, as one figure looms over the local political landscape: outgoing U.S. Sen. Mark Begich (D).”
“Begich, who served two terms as Anchorage mayor before his election to the Senate in 2008, is said to be considering another bid to be the city’s chief executive. And some prospective candidates say they’re waiting to decide whether to launch their own candidacies until Begich makes up his mind.”
Begich Finally Concedes Senate Race
Alaska Dispatch News: “After holding on to dwindling hope for days, Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK) on Monday conceded he had lost his U.S. Senate race to Republican Dan Sullivan. With the concession coming nearly two weeks after the Nov. 4 general election and with few votes left to count, the statement was largely a formality.”
The Worst Political Ad of 2014
A controversial ad by Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK) attempted to link former state Attorney General Dan Sullivan (R) to an allegedly lax record on sentencing sex offenders but it backfired badly.
The Fix: “Begich pulled the ad — but the damage was very much done. Up until that point — early September — Begich had been the candidate with the momentum, maintaining a steady polling edge over Sullivan despite the conservative nature of the state. The Active ad ended that momentum. From that point onward, Begich’s numbers tumbled while Sullivan’s soared.”
Sullivan Wins Senate Seat in Alaska
Dan Sullivan (R) has defeated Sen. Mark Begich (D) in Alaska, according to the Associated Press.
“The Alaska race was too close to call on Election Night last week, with Sullivan up by about 8,100 votes, but it became evident Tuesday when the state began counting about 20,000 of absentee and questioned ballots that Begich could not overcome Sullivan.”
Taegan Goddard
Taegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire -- which for more than two decades has been one of the nation's most influential political news sites.
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