Palin Says Alaska Senator Should Step Down

Governor Sarah Palin called upon Senator Mark Begich to step down from his post and run in a special election after the Justice Department dropped corruption charges against former Senator Ted Stevens. Begich, a Democrat, won Stevens’ seat in 2008, in a race that was dominated by news of Stevens’ October conviction. The Republican Party chairman of Alaska, Randy Ruedrich, first called for Begich to resign. “The only reason Mark Begich won the election in November is because a few thousand Alaskans thought that Sen. Ted Stevens was guilty of seven felonies,” he said in a statement. When asked by a reporter in an email what she thought of the Ruedrich’s demand, Palin wrote, “I absolutely agree.” Begich released a statement saying he will not be stepping down.