Berkowitz eyes challenge of Palin (Updated with Hollis French seriously considering it as well)

[RamboLiberal]

Source: Anchorage Daily News

Ethan Berkowitz sounds like he’s getting ready to run for governor.

“We’re taking an extremely close look at it, it’s something I’m very interested in doing,” Berkowitz told me earlier today.

Berkowitz is starting to attract national attention as a potential Democratic challenger to Republican Gov. Sarah Palin, telling CQ politics (which rates the race as “Republican favored”) that “my sights are now on the governor’s race.”

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(UPDATE -- I just spoke to Hollis French and he sounds very interested in running for governor as well, although he's not ready to announce his candidacy yet.

Read more: http://community.adn.com/adn/blog/24417

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I'd love to see a Dem beat Palin. What do you think Alaskan DU'ers? I know I'd be willing to contribute to a Dem candidates campaign against Palin.

[Faygo Kid]

1. Son of Sam takes on Sarah Palin? Tough choice.

Incoming!

[Blue_In_AK]

2. Oh, geez, here we go again...

Too many people entering the primary. We already have a good candidate, Bob Poe. http://bobpoe.com/ Just once I'd like to see the Democrats around here coalesce around someone instead of all going off on their separate tangents.

I'm not particularly a fan of Berkowitz or French, so I'm not much help here.

[Tempest]

5. Poe was the first to come to AK Muckraker's defense

When she was outed by that scumbag Doogan.

Poe and Doogan are personal friends, but Poe had no reservations about calling him on the carpet about it.

[Blue_In_AK]

6. I've been impressed with everything I've heard about him.

He will have my support through the primary. He hasn't been afraid to call Sarah out on her bullshit, either, unlike Berkowitz and French, who has been quite silent since Troopergate. I don't care for either of those two.

[Tempest]

11. French is a wimp and Berkowitz is seen as a joke

What exactly has French done in the legislature to counter Palin? He's supposed to be the opposition, not an enabler. In the last session, even as the Republican majority were having second thoughts about Palin, he was powerless to stop her. If he couldn't convince a few Republicans to buck Palin, he would be just as ineffective as governor.

Berkowitz couldn't even beat one of the most corrupt politicians in Alaska, he wouldn't stand a chance in the general election.

[Blue_In_AK]

12. Diane Benson is a personal friend of mine,

and I've always supported her. I'm still mad at Ethan for opposing her in the Congressional primary last year after Diane did so well against Young in 2006. Even Don said that she would have been more likely to beat him last year than Ethan, who did very poorly in the Bush during the primary and only beat Diane in Anchorage and Juneau. Ethan seems to be following the same pattern by jumping in now against Bob Poe. He has more name recognition, so, of course, he will weaken the Poe support. It's sad, really.

And I agree with you on French, as well. The legislature grumbles and mumbles about Sarah but they don't do anything to stop her. The Dems are totally spineless -- she gets more opposition from Mike Hawker and Jay Ramras than she does from the Democrats.

[Tempest]

13. I've met Diane several times

It was back in the mid 1980s when Diane was guest lecturing at UAF on creative writing and poetry seminars (I never got the hang of it). With encouragement from the class, she would talk about her own experiences which were more interesting than any fiction she wrote. I like to think that's the reason she started writing about her experiences.

She was the biggest reason I read The Tundra Times back then.

[Cha]

9. You're helpful in that..

I've never heard of Bob Poe until now. Thanks, Blue.

[katanalori]

3. BOB POE for Governor of AK

Very smart, nice man. Google him if you are not familiar with him - amazing resume'

[Blue_In_AK]

4. I agree, Katanalori

I haven't met the man personally, but I am very impressed by what I've read. And I'm rather pissed off at Ethan and Hollis for jumping in here. This is exactly what happened when too many progressives ran for mayor of Anchorage, and look what happened -- we got stuck with Dan Sullivan.

[Arctic Dave]

8. I feel the same way Blue.

Everyone needs to put ego aside and get behind a single canidate.

[No Elephants]

7. Mixed feelings. What are we going to do for laughs at DU if someone ousts Sarah? Yet, I want

her out of office. So many conflicted feelings. So little time.

[Tempest]

10. There's a good chance she won't run next year

Her approval rating in Alaska is sinking fast and her ethic problems are weighing her down.

She also has aspirations for the national spotlight so she may run for Murkowski's seat (which she will lose badly if she does).