Alaska Politics Blog

This is the place to talk about Alaska politics -- state, local, national. Public life in the Last Frontier has probably never been more interesting -- the governor is a national figure in the wake of her 2008 run for vice president, Anchorage faces a heated mayoral race, we have a new U.S. senator, and the usual hardball Alaska politics. Come here for news, tidbits and information, and join the discussion. We encourage lively debate, but please keep it civil and stay on point. Don't use profanity, make crude comments or attack other posters. Posts that violate the Terms of Use will be deleted. Repeat offenders will lose their ability to post comments.


Erika Bolstad

Erika Bolstad covers Alaska issues, including the congressional delegation, from Washington, D.C., for McClatchy Newspapers. Before joining the bureau in 2007, she spent seven years as a reporter at the Miami Herald, where she covered politics, government and the state legislature. E-mail Erika at ebolstad@adn.com.

Sean Cockerham

Sean Cockerham writes about Alaska state politics and is covering the 2009 legislative session. He's worked for the ADN in Anchorage and Juneau, covered the legislature for the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, and covered Washington state politics for the Tacoma News Tribune. E-mail Sean at scockerham@adn.com

Kyle Hopkins

Kyle Hopkins covers rural affairs, general assignments and politics for the ADN. He covered the 2006 campaign for governor, has blogged extensively about Alaska politics, covered Anchorage city government and was a reporter based in the Mat-Su. He grew up in Southeast Alaska and previously wrote for the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner and Anchorage Press. E-mail Kyle at khopkins@adn.com and also find him on our rural Alaska blog, The Village.

Don Hunter

Don Hunter covers Anchorage city government and politics. He is a longtime ADN reporter and editor and wrote for the Anchorage Times. E-mail Don at dhunter@adn.com

David Hulen

David Hulen, the ADN's assistant managing editor for news, is responsible for state and local news coverage in the ADN, including politics. He has been an editor and reporter at the ADN for more than 20 years. E-mail David at dhulen@adn.com

SECTION

Alaska political corruption

The FBI raided state legislature offices in Aug. 2006, and the fallout since has been epic in Alaska's political world.

Gov. Sarah Palin coverage

Complete coverage, video and photo galleries of Gov. Sarah Palin as she commands and navigates the world of Alaska politics.

Palin gone fishing. Next: Kotzebue? - 7/6/2009 12:32 pm

Does Palin have the VP Jinx? - 7/6/2009 10:20 am

UPDATE: Palin to resign as governor - 7/3/2009 10:04 am

Palin gets Sitting Duck Award - 7/2/2009 12:47 pm

French files intent to run for governor, says it doesn't mean he's running - 7/1/2009 6:00 pm

Troopergate looks to have dominated state costs for ethics complaints - 7/1/2009 8:43 am

Palin sparks internal GOP warfare. Again. - 7/1/2009 8:03 am

Sullivan names spokesperson, city attorney - 6/30/2009 3:30 pm

Sean Parnell questions Young's candidacy - 6/30/2009 3:02 pm

Cabinet secretaries to visit Alaska on rural tour - 6/30/2009 2:17 pm

Judge in Stevens' trial: Do federal prosecutors have a pattern of mishandling evidence? - 6/30/2009 2:05 pm

Vanity Fair: Palin’s life has sometimes played out like an unholy amalgam of Desperate Housewives and Northern Exposure - 6/30/2009 7:52 am

Palin's PAC: "Please also encourage your friends and family to give" (Updated) - 6/29/2009 12:40 pm

Weyhrauch case to be heard in front of Supreme Court - 6/29/2009 9:26 am

Do you know where your governor is? A state-by-state rundown - 6/27/2009 5:21 pm

Palin in Kosovo: videos - 6/26/2009 6:55 pm

Palin in Kosovo - 6/25/2009 3:47 pm

Murkowski elected to Senate GOP leadership role - 6/25/2009 12:09 pm

Pew poll: Palin popular among Republicans but polarizing - 6/24/2009 12:29 pm

Palin leaves country for troop visit - 6/24/2009 10:52 am

Begich, like Murkowski, asked Sotomayor about guns - 6/24/2009 9:11 am

Ethics complaint against Palin aide dismissed (Updated) - 6/23/2009 2:13 pm

Palin back on the stump

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From Sean Cockerham in Anchorage -

Sarah Palin is going back on the campaign trail, just a few weeks after returning to Alaska from her two-month run for vice president.

The governor is planning a trip to Georgia to campaign on behalf of Georgia Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss early next week on her way to Philadelphia to meet with her old foe, President-elect Barack Obama.

Obama is meeting with governors of both parties in Philadelphia to talk about the ailing economy. It's not clear how many governors are going to attend the Obama event, which the National Governors Association helped put together.

"I don't know if she has a one-on-one with (Obama)," said Palin spokesman Bill McAllister. "It may be, given that they were both involved in the national campaign." McAllister said Palin will be in Philadelphia on Monday and Tuesday, and the state will pay for it. He said the Chambliss campaign will pay for Palin's side trip to Georgia.

Palin will join Chambliss for rallies Monday in Augusta, Savannah, Perry and Atlanta. Chambliss is in a close runoff election with Democrat Jim Martin.

What's the benefit to Alaska for Palin to campaign for Chambliss?

"Well, I don't know. It's a political event so I'm reluctant to comment much on it. But she works pretty hard, so you could consider it a day off," McAllister said. "I don't know that it necessarily has to have a direct benefit for Alaska, although probably you could make some argument there's an indirect one."

This is Palin's second trip out of state since coming back to work at the governor's office on Nov. 7. Her trip to Miami for the Republican Governors Association in the second week of November took about three days, the governor's office said


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