Alaska underscores GOP troubles

0 Comments | USA TODAY, August, 2008 | by Matt Kelley

WASHINGTON -- The Senate's longest-serving Republican, Alaska's Ted Stevens, heads into a primary election today at a time when he is fighting for his political life and his party is struggling to hold onto its Senate seats.

Stevens, who was indicted last month on federal charges of failing to report gifts he got from a wealthy constituent, is likely to survive the GOP primary over six lesser-known challengers. But he's trailing by 13 percentage points in a recent statewide poll by Rasmussen Reports against Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich. The Democrat is Stevens' likely fall opponent.

The possibility of a solidly Republican state going to the Democrats underscores the party's precarious position in the Senate this year. Republicans have a little more than half...