ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Democrat Mark Begich took a three-vote lead Wednesday in his effort to topple 40-year Republican Sen. Ted Stevens, who was convicted of felony charges in a federal trial last month.
Begich, the two-term mayor of Anchorage, began Wednesday down more than 3,200 votes but closed the gap as officials resumed counting early and absentee ballots.
Neither side expected a victory Wednesday. By late afternoon, officials had counted more than 44,000 of the roughly 90,000 outstanding absentee, early, questioned and provisional ballots.
Even if he is re-elected, Stevens could be ousted by the Senate for his corruption conviction. If Stevens loses his seat, Gov. Sarah Palin could run for it in a special election. She also could challenge incumbent GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski in 2010.
Palin told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on Wednesday that she wants to serve her constituents the best she can. “At this point it is as governor,” she said. “I am not one to appoint myself or a member of my family to take the place of any vacancy.”
Pressed in a separate interview with CNN’s Larry King about whether she would serve out her term as governor, Palin said, “I will do what the people of Alaska want me to do.” She added: “If they call an audible on me, and if they say they want me in another position, I’m going to do it. . . . My life is in God’s hands. If he’s got doors open for me, that I believe are in our state’s best interest, the nation’s best interest, I’m going to go through those doors.”
