Begich “Better Candidate”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 08/21/2014
ANCHORAGE — Media outlets and strategists across Alaska and the country are noting Dan Sullivan has lost ground in a general election after a bitter and divisive primary race where he lost nearly 60% of the Republican vote.
“You don’t have to look any further than the attacks Mead Treadwell and Joe Miller used against Dan Sullivan to know he won’t look Alaskans in the eye and talk about important issues. Alaskans can’t trust someone who can’t tell the same story about his residency twice, answer a question about supporting the Violence Against Women Act and depends almost entirely on Outside groups and money to drive his campaign,” said Max Croes, Communications Director for Alaskans for Begich.
What’s being said about Sullivan: “He is damaged”
Sullivan Losing Ground:
“Is Alaska’s Senate Race Slipping Away From the GOP?” (National Journal, 08/20/2014)
Sullivan afraid of Alaska press:
Sullivan can’t get majority support from his own party:
“We never thought Miller had a chance and expected Sullivan to do far better than losing roughly 60 percent of the vote in a Republican primary,” said one Democratic strategist.” (Washington Examiner. 08/20/2014)
“As a result, even as the GOP grows more optimistic about a dozen other races across the midterm map, some of the party’s operatives worry that, of all places, bright-red Alaska has quietly slipped away.” (National Journal 08/20/2014)
What the outlets are saying about Begich: “Better Candidate”
Begich running a strong campaign with fundraising lead:
“Sullivan now has less than 2½ months to replenish his coffers and make his case against Begich, who has run one of the strongest campaigns of any Democrat so far this election cycle. Begich had raised more than $8.3 million and had over $2 million on hand at the end of July.” (Real Clear Politics 08/20/2014)
Begich is the better candidate:
“…many of the state’s GOP operatives said that Begich—a former mayor of the state’s largest city, Anchorage, and the son of a congressman—has proven the better candidate thus far. Many analysts have praised not just Begich’s outreach to local Alaska voting blocs but his early TV ads, one of which recalled the death of his father, who was killed in a plane crash while in office.” (National Journal, 08/20/2014)
Begich’s “Secret Weapon” is Alaska:
“…unlike Begich, who was born and raised in Alaska, Sullivan hails from Ohio”
“In Anchorage, where Begich grew up and once served in the assembly and as mayor…Some people still remember his days as a property manager, when he would show up at all hours to fix leaky toilets.’ Let’s not get caught up in the D.C. trap of Democrats versus Republicans,” he said in an interview. “When you’re in Alaska it’s about what’s important for Alaska.” (AP, 08/20/2014)
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