Certainly, Ted Stevens's indictment isn't good news for
Republicans but some of these stories seem slightly overblown. If you look at the polls, the
Democrats had a better than even shot of taking Stevens's seat even
before his indictment. Given the lack of credible Republican
alternatives -- at least among those who elected to run -- this has
been a good bet for a Democratic pickup for months now. Where
Stevens could be a bigger problem for Republicans is if he helps
revive the "culture of corruption" narrative and taint the party as
a whole. The Politico story I linked above talks about the
Republicans finding some footing on the energy issue. If Stevens
further tarnishes the Republican brand, it will be similar to how
Mark Foley was the final nail in the coffin right as it seemed the
GOP's fortunes were starting to improve in the fall of 2006.
topics:
Energy
