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Pollsters miss the mark in Alaska elections
Anchorage Daily News ^

Posted on 11/05/2008 10:03:04 PM PST by Chet 99

The pollsters all agreed.

Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich would whip Republican Sen. Ted Stevens in Tuesday's election. Maybe by a little. Maybe, as some polls predicted, by a landslide.

For months, the same pollsters predicted a solid win for Democrat Ethan Berkowitz over incumbent Republican Rep. Don Young in the battle for Alaska's lone U.S. House seat.

Then everyone voted.

Surprise! A Young victory looks within his reach. And Begich is behind in the count - though he still hopes to eke out a win. Even with more than 60,000 absentee and early votes still to be counted, neither Democrat could surge ahead to the kind of margin predicted by pollsters.

"I'm not happy how that came out," said pollster Del Ali, of Research 2000, a Maryland firm that tracked the House and Senate races in Alaska.

Begich was trailing Stevens by about 3,000 votes, as of Wednesday. But as recently as last week, Research 2000 reported Begich was leading Stevens by 22 percentage points. Daily Kos, a left-leaning Web site, paid for the polls.

(Excerpt) Read more at adn.com ...


TOPICS: US: Alaska
KEYWORDS: ak2008
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To: FreeRadical

You tell ‘em, FreeRadical! From one Alaskan to another, “well done!” Makes me want to hang a liberal upside down in a snowbank by the side of the cabin so I can hear ‘em howlin’ about the cold, cruel world. heh heh


21 posted on 11/05/2008 10:42:43 PM PST by CaribouCrossing
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To: FreeRadical

“We do our best to not elect liberals up here.”

Any chance of the climate warming there? Alaska seems like a great place to move to (if a little warmer temps....sorry, I’m from the South).


22 posted on 11/05/2008 10:45:57 PM PST by Cedar
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To: GATOR NAVY

“Say it loud. I didn’t vote for Ted and Don. I voted against Begich and Berkowitz and the whole national democrat machine that spent millions up here this cycle. Ef ‘em.”

Alright! Another Alaskan! Heck ya, I’ll shout it out....” I DIDN’T VOTE FOR TED AND DON. I VOTED AGAINST BEGICH AND BERKOWITZ AND THE WHOLE NATIONAL DEMOCRAT MACHINE THAT SPENT MILLIONS UP HERE THIS CYCLE. EF ‘EM.”

I also would like to add, “EF YOU ANCHORAGE DAILY NEWS! YOU WERE PART OF THE OBAMA CAMPAIGN AND I WON’T GIVE YOU ONE DAMN DIME!” They actually put a large sticker on the front page of their newspaper on election day telling people to vote for Obama!


23 posted on 11/05/2008 10:46:31 PM PST by CaribouCrossing
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To: ASOC

LOL!


24 posted on 11/05/2008 10:47:03 PM PST by CaribouCrossing
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To: Cedar

“Any chance of the climate warming there? Alaska seems like a great place to move to (if a little warmer temps....sorry, I’m from the South).”

Nah, we were all hoping Gore was right, but the weather has proved him wrong. Anchorage isn’t bad....temps similar to the midwest in winter. It was -20 this morning where we’re at....which is a very nice temp compared to what winter will bring. But I wouldn’t trade my little spot of heaven for all the tea in China...which is probably good since they seem to be poisoning everything these days. ;)


25 posted on 11/05/2008 10:50:04 PM PST by CaribouCrossing
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To: CaribouCrossing

-20? Must have a good wood stove.

At this point, I might put up with cold weather just to get even further away from Washington, D.C.


26 posted on 11/05/2008 11:00:00 PM PST by Cedar
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To: CaribouCrossing

We get a couple weeks of minus 60 every winter here in Eagle. Ya know, every repub I know was still planning on voting for Teddy; could care less about a political witch hunt down in D.C. People down there should straighten their own probs out before pointing fingers. Stevens can retire when he so pleases. Young still got alot of integrity in him too after all these years; they way he made Berkoboy look like a fool in the debates.


27 posted on 11/05/2008 11:07:29 PM PST by Eska
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To: Cedar

“-20? Must have a good wood stove.

At this point, I might put up with cold weather just to get even further away from Washington, D.C.”

I can’t even imagine living near Washington, DC. Went Outside last spring to W. Virginia and the crowds, and traffic, had me squirmin’ like a lynx in a trap. Had a great time, nice folks there, but was sure happy to get back home to the cabin and away from the noise.

-20 isn’t a big deal. It’s when it hits below -50 that things get tougher. All we have in the cabin is a small barrel woodstove but we insulated the cabin very well and don’t have any plumbing to worry about. Not that plumbing would be a big deal...there are ways to keep it from freezing up.


28 posted on 11/05/2008 11:15:28 PM PST by CaribouCrossing
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To: Eska

“We get a couple weeks of minus 60 every winter here in Eagle. Ya know, every repub I know was still planning on voting for Teddy; could care less about a political witch hunt down in D.C. People down there should straighten their own probs out before pointing fingers. Stevens can retire when he so pleases. Young still got alot of integrity in him too after all these years; they way he made Berkoboy look like a fool in the debates.”

Hello Eska, you’re up the Taylor along the Yukon. We dredge on Jack Wade. Sure was sad to see them tear the old dredge down. Glad I have plenty of pictures of it to remember it by. We’re down on the north side of the Wrangell/St. Elias. Stays a bit warmer than Tok...not by alot, but by enough.

Everyone in our neck of the woods said the same thing. They were voting for Ted. I saw lots of locals yesterday and folks here aren’t shy about telling you who they voted for. It was McCain/Palin all the way, and Ted and Don.

I hear ya about those in the lower 48 straightening out their own problems before lookin’ down their noses at us. “Berkoboy”...LOL....yea, he’s a fool alright.

Whenever I catch a chill working outside, I stop and thank my lucky Alaskan stars to be living up here where the only sound I have to hear is the woodstove crackling, the dogs snoring, and the wolves howlin’.

Whatcha got for snow up there? We only have about 6 inches or so on the ground. The storms lately have spread out around us.


29 posted on 11/05/2008 11:25:01 PM PST by CaribouCrossing
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To: Eska

“We get a couple weeks of minus 60 every winter here in Eagle. Ya know, every repub I know was still planning on voting for Teddy; could care less about a political witch hunt down in D.C. People down there should straighten their own probs out before pointing fingers. Stevens can retire when he so pleases. Young still got alot of integrity in him too after all these years; they way he made Berkoboy look like a fool in the debates.”

Hello Eska, you’re up the Taylor along the Yukon. We dredge on Jack Wade. Sure was sad to see them tear the old dredge down. Glad I have plenty of pictures of it to remember it by. We’re down on the north side of the Wrangell/St. Elias. Stays a bit warmer than Tok...not by alot, but by enough.

Everyone in our neck of the woods said the same thing. They were voting for Ted. I saw lots of locals yesterday and folks here aren’t shy about telling you who they voted for. It was McCain/Palin all the way, and Ted and Don.

I hear ya about those in the lower 48 straightening out their own problems before lookin’ down their noses at us. “Berkoboy”...LOL....yea, he’s a fool alright.

Whenever I catch a chill working outside, I stop and thank my lucky Alaskan stars to be living up here where the only sound I have to hear is the woodstove crackling, the dogs snoring, and the wolves howlin’.

Whatcha got for snow up there? We only have about 6 inches or so on the ground. The storms lately have spread out around us.


30 posted on 11/05/2008 11:25:46 PM PST by CaribouCrossing
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To: Eska

Sorry about that double post. Computer must have hiccup’d.


31 posted on 11/05/2008 11:26:39 PM PST by CaribouCrossing
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To: CaribouCrossing

Well, I’m down in the South where at least sanity can still be found among the people. Liberals are not too popular here either, though they are trying to make inroads.

People are more independent-minded here, probably like Alaskans.

But it still wouldn’t hurt to be several thousand more miles away from D.C.


32 posted on 11/05/2008 11:28:46 PM PST by Cedar
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To: Cedar

I do love the south, Cedar. Have often thought about buying a little place down there for a winter escape.

I enjoyed visiting S. Carolina, and that state would be beautiful if it weren’t for all the litter along the roads. I’ve never seen such a mess!! I mean literally, along every single road and highway, there was garbage strewn everywhere! Even thought about writing a letter to their newspapers, but figured if they cared about their state, they’d clean it up without a busybody from Alaska telling them how to do it.


33 posted on 11/05/2008 11:39:15 PM PST by CaribouCrossing
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To: CaribouCrossing
WE got a couple feet snow. You out nabessna road? Is Fredricks still out Sportsman paradise? Pretty decent guy. Wife and I taught at Mentasta quite a few years back; really enjoyed riding out Jacksina Glacier, that trail over towards tetlin up past grayling lake, and fishing Tanada, copper lake, but we have much bigger burbot here in the yukon.

Ya know for how critical those lower 48ers are about us voting for Stevens; I'd never head south for anything. They need to concentrate on their own probs as they have enough I do believe.

WE have an Amish Pioneer Maid cookstove and woodstove in basement. 2400 sq ft cabin is like 75 no matter how cold she gets down to outside. Nothing better than settin nx to hot cookstove, drying off from riding, feasting on stew & hot rolls.

a few locals are working claims out 70 mile this past summer

34 posted on 11/05/2008 11:41:36 PM PST by Eska
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To: Eska

Yep. The elder Fredricks have passed on but their son and his wife run the place. Nice folks. Haven’t been out to grayling or Tanada, but I think the ice is in.

Thought about putting a line in on the Slana for burbot. We used to catch some big ones out towards Northway. Haven’t been out that way in awhile now. Oh how I love burbot....gonna have to do that soon. We do have a freezer full of copper river reds though. Still hunting caribou...so far haven’t gotten one. Have had hundreds of them around the cabin, but can’t hunt here. sonofabtch


35 posted on 11/05/2008 11:48:25 PM PST by CaribouCrossing
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To: Cedar

Looks like others have worked the climate angle well for ya already. I live here for the winters — skiing and snowmaching day after day, week after week is just righteous — so I’m not the guy to hope for any warming. Ha!

Nonetheless, I’m just getting back to FR for this day and wanted to send a courtesy reply.

Come fish, hunt, ski, hike, camp and/or photograph any time!

And, think snow!


36 posted on 11/06/2008 10:44:52 PM PST by FreeRadical (Pray. Make Babies. Teach. Repeat.)
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