WASHINGTON — A growing chorus of Republicans on Tuesday called for Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens to resign from a seat he’s held for four decades after his conviction on seven felony charges.
But with the party bracing for losses in the upcoming election, many hope Stevens will first win re-election Tuesday and then resign to give Republicans a chance to fill the seat with a fresh GOP face.
Stevens, 84, was convicted Monday of lying about hundreds of thousands of dollars in home renovations and gifts he received from a corrupt oil contractor. The verdict came down just a week before Election Day, too late for Republicans to put someone new on the ballot against Democrat Mark Begich.
Nevertheless, Republican presidential nominee John McCain and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell urged their Senate colleague to resign. “It is clear that Sen. Stevens has broken his trust with the people and that he should now step down,” McCain said.
That comment beat Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama’s call for Stevens’ resignation. And for a while, it put McCain at odds with his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.
Palin, who has campaigned on a record of standing up to corruption, stopped short of issuing such a call Monday. After McCain’s comments, Palin issued a new statement saying there was a cloud over Stevens’ seat.
“Even if elected on Tuesday, Sen. Stevens should step aside to allow a special election to give Alaskans a real choice of who will serve them in Congress,” Palin said.
That Stevens has a chance of winning Tuesday is a testament to his storied political career, which dates from before Alaska’s statehood. If he wins, then steps down, a special election would be held to replace him.
Stevens has given no indication he’s even considering resignation. His spokesman did not return messages seeking comment Tuesday, but after his conviction, Stevens forcefully declared that he remained a candidate. He asked for patience from his colleagues while his appeals play out and announced that he was heading back to Alaska to campaign.
Some Republicans were not so patient.
“Service in the Senate demands the highest ethical standards,” Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., said Tuesday. “Unfortunately, his conviction proved that he has failed to meet those standards, and he should resign immediately.”
Democrats, who now hold a razor-thin 51-49 majority in the Senate, have targeted Stevens’ seat as part of their bid to build a filibuster-proof, 60-vote majority. At a minimum, they are expected to get a lot closer to it Tuesday. That makes it harder for Republicans to swallow the idea of Stevens’ resigning now.
“We’re frustrated because of the time frame. We’re disappointed he didn’t step down before this,” said Alaska state Rep. Wes Keller, a Republican who plans to vote for Stevens in hopes that he’ll win, then resign.
