Vulnerable incumbent Democrat Senator Mark Begich of Alaska.
Alaska Libertarian Party Chair Michael Chambers and Republican Senate candidate Joe Miller pounced on vulnerable incumbent Democrat Senator Mark Begich after he made a series of remarks with the ridiculous aim of aligning himself with libertarianism.
Despite Begich’s big government record, to include ignoring his constituents when they screamed “NO” on the question of whether they wanted him to vote for ObamaCare, he pretended to appreciate and agree with the vast majority of Alaskans who identify with many of the core values of libertarianism.
“One thing that hasn’t changed is we’re very libertarian when it comes to some of these issues, and we don’t believe that government should be interfering in our personal and private lives,” Begich said.
Where was that sentiment when he voted to turn over the medical records of every Alaskan? Many on the left have heralded Begich as a brave progressive for standing firm on ObamaCare and Obama’s big government agenda, as we saw from the puff piece run by the Daily Kos. But as for proponents of liberty who actually have a record that suggests the same, there was only instant outrage.
Alaska Libertarian Party Chair Michael Chambers literally put out a liberty-for-dummies list to educate the left-wing senator who voted against the interest of every major libertarian issue.
“Senator Begich, allow me to define the vast majority of libertarians for your educational benefit, as you seem to be confused:
1. I know of no Alaskan libertarian who would remotely support the government takeover of our healthcare industry.
2. I know of no Alaskan libertarian who would vote to confirm:
• Eric Holder – anti-gun
• Elena Kagan – anti-gun
• Sonia Sotomayor – anti-gun
3. I know of no Alaskan libertarian who supports:
• Common Core
• Federal Department of Education
• suppression of parental rights in education
4. I know of no Alaskan libertarian who would vote to support and advocate:
• The IRS in any malignant manifestation
• NDAA and the suspension of habeas corpus
• NSA invasion of our personal effects
• The Patriot Act
5. No Alaskan libertarian I know would advocate globalist policies like:
• The United Nations Law of the Sea Treaty
• TPP – Trans Pacific Partnerships
• UN Treaties having any jurisdiction or precedence over the US Constitution.
Certainly, there are a few libertarians who may support the socialist policies you advocate, but to infer that you are ‘libertarian’ in any of your political representations is to vacate any measure of truth.”
Wow. And as if that wasn’t bad enough, 2010 Republican nominee Joe Miller, who has proven a particularly effective conservative at bridging the gap between conservatism and libertarianism, blasted Begich and left no room for doubt over which political group he is seeking more support from.
“I appreciate the fact that the Alaska Libertarian Party is speaking out on the important issues facing our state and nation,” Miller said in a statement. “What we don’t need more of is Mark Begich’s progressive ideology masquerading under the banner of liberty. True libertarianism is grounded in Constitutional liberty, and I am proud to share those values with the Alaska Libertarian Party.”
Miller has pushed the message that he is the real limited government candidate in what is shaping up to be a tough Republican primary. While former Natural Resources Commissioner Dan Sullivan enjoys the money advantage and the backing of the Club for Growth, Begich isn’t counting on having an easy Election Day regardless of who the Republican nominee turns out to be.
“People everywhere in this town write him off — I don’t,” Begich said of Miller in an interview with Scott Conroy for RCP. “Everyone’s a player right now in that race. The pundits will always say the guy with the cash is the winner. Alaska politics is always about knowing and meeting and greeting the voters.”
Senior Political Analyst for People’s Pundit Daily, Richard D. Baris, wholly agrees. In an article entitled, Why Joe Miller Could Pull Off An Upset Against The GOP Establishment, Again, Baris argues that anything can happen in the Republican primary. Laying out a series of data points, Baris writes, “while the media may not be giving Joe Miller a decent chance by citing fictions and notoriously inaccurate pollsters, the actual numbers suggest he does have a decent shot at an upset.”
With the backing of Libertarian Party voters and libertarian-leaning Alaskans Miller would certainly be tapping a large amount of support that is currently flying under the pundits’ radar. And he knows it.
“These are momentous times, and it is imperative that we transcend partisan frames of reference,” Miller added. “The only way we can push back federal tyranny is for all Alaskans of good will to unite under the banner of Constitutional Liberty.”
Regardless of who wins the Republican primary, Begich understands he is in the political fight of his life. According to Baris’ general election analysis and Gallup’s tracking of party-ID by state, Alaska has moved farther to the right since Begich barely won his seat in 2008 by just under 4000 votes. His opponent, former Senator Ted Stevens, was wrongfully convicted of a felony just prior to Election Day, which was later overturned after it was discovered it was a Democrat-led political witch hunt.
The 2014 Alaska Senate race is currently rated “Leans Republican” on our 2014 Senate Map Predictions.
