Getting Closer to 60: "Begich Will Be Alaska's First U.S. Senate Democrat Since Gravel"

[ClarkUSA]

Mark Begich's lead over Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) has grown to 2,374 votes as the ballot counting continues in Alaska's U.S. Senate race.

FiveThirtyEight.com's Sean Quinn declares:

Begich Will Be Alaska's First U.S. Senate Democrat Since Gravel

Democrat Mark Begich will win the Alaska Senate race.

With 14,626 of the roughly 24,000 ballots left to count today, Begich's lead over Republican Ted Stevens is now, 2,374.
The remaining results are expected to arrive later this afternoon. Stevens would have to win by a margin of over 25% of
the outstanding ballots to tie Begich.

That would require something of a Gravelanche.

Currently, Begich leads by 0.77%, which is outside the free 0.5% recount zone. The recount fee is a paltry $15,000, not a
sum Stevens has ever had trouble acquiring via one means or another. Given his likely expulsion by either the Republican
caucus or the U.S. Senate as a whole (though we are in "reconciliation" mode, so who knows?), it seems unlikely anyone
besides Stevens himself would have the desire to pursue such action. Still, the Anchorage Daily News calls such a recount
"likely."

Congratulations, Senator Begich.

Oh, oh, looks like Mooselini's path to Capitol Hill is blocked for now. Thank you, Alaska!! :fistbump:

[valerief]

1. Alaskans should hold "Rock in the Lake" parties to celebrate!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rZdAB4V_j8

[political_Dem]

2. Thanks for the good news despite this dark day.

[ClarkUSA]

6. Cheer up... remember, we got the guy we wanted at the top and that's what counts.

Everyone else - and I mean everyone - will have to toe Obama's line or else hit the road. There's a new Big Dawg in town now
and the Old Dawg knows it. :toast:

[political_Dem]

8. I will keep my fingers crossed for hope and change to make its presence known.

Thank you for your kind words. :)

Here's to also hoping that we inch closer to the filibuster-proof Senate too.

[BumRushDaShow]

3. Crossing fingers!

:applause:

[iamthebandfanman]

4. I wish theyd let Mike have it back n/t

[Sebastian Doyle]

5. Let us pray this lead holds.

With not much chance of any other good news today, the end of Ted Stevens' career (and by extention, hopefully the end of Moosealini's national overexposure) would be more than welcome.

[ClarkUSA]

7. The odds look very good, as the rest of the ballots come from pro-Begich areas.

His lead has more than doubled since I last checked. Stevens is finito and Mooselini is going to be looking at
Russia from her backyard for a long time to come. ;)