Felony Conviction May Lead to Senator's Resignation
By: Gerri L. Elder
As of November 6, 2008, convicted felon Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska still has a narrow lead in his bid to win an eighth term in office. Stevens is reportedly ahead of democratic challenger Mark Begich by approximately 3,500 votes.
However, the final results of the election will not be known until mid to late November because there are still 55,000 absentee and 9,000 early ballots that still must be counted.
If Begich wins the election, it will bring the total number of Senate seats the Democrats gained in the election to seven. This would boost the Democrats' majority to 58 in the 100-member chamber.
Two other Senate seats are also in limbo, pending the final count of the ballots. If the Democrats pick up all three of these seats, they will have a Senate majority for the first time in 30 years with a large enough margin to leap over Republican procedural hurdles and pass legislation.
According to a Reuters news report, if Stevens wins the election and returns to the Senate, Democratic and Republican leaders have vowed to move to have him expelled due to his recent criminal conviction.
In October, Stevens, 84, was found guilty of political corruption. He was convicted on seven counts of lying on Senate disclosure forms by failing to report more than $250,000 in home improvements and other gifts from an oil executive.
If Stevens is elected to the Senate for an eighth term, then expelled because he is a convicted felon, Alaska will have to hold another election to seat a new senator. Some have speculated that Sarah Palin might throw her hat into the ring if a second election is called to replace Stevens.
Stevens has drawn support in Alaska from residents who are appreciative of his long service in the Senate. He has vowed to appeal his conviction. However, there is speculation that if Stevens wins the election he may resign, in order to leave on his own terms and not be expelled.