The NRA Tries to Hand Don Sean's Head

The National Rifle Association endorsed Congressman Don Young today. To have not done so would have been remarkable. They've endorsed him again and again. And again.

As you can see from this image of his office wall, as he does some kinky ritual with recently disappeared ex-Illinois Representative Dennis Hastert, he likes his guns. And he likes to hunt.

And so do Alaskans. I hunt. I've taught my son to hunt. Everyone running for the AK-AL U.S. House seat supports the 2nd Amendment.

I've spoken with candidate Diane Benson about her views on the 2nd Amendment several times, in this campaign, and in the 2006 campaign. She's the only one running for the seat who is both a hunter, and has been hunted. After being raped and shot as a teenager, she had to first feign death, then hide in the woods, because she knew the authorities wouldn't help.

Candidates Sean Parnell (R - Palin) and Ethan Berkowitz (D - Rahm Emanuel) both issued statements late last week in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling striking down Federally-ruled Washington D.C's handgun ban, that strongly supported the decision. Candidate Diane Benson (D - the common people of Alaska) was the only candidate besides Young who had already made strong support of 2nd Amendment rights a part of her platform. She issued no statement on the ruling.

The Club for Growth, who have strangely bought into the Parnell candidacy, didn't bother to criticize the NRA, but they did, in a recent press release, jump on Don's pork hunting addiction. And that is really fascinating. I'm beginning to understand more and more why I saw Don Young positively leap out of his seat at the GOP Convention last winter, when Sean Parnell announced his candidacy. He knows Parnell better than I do.

Parnell is going to be painted by Young's people as a Sarahbot. It may or may not work. But by leveraging the Supreme's 2nd Amendment case last week,Young may have found the one issue out there that will get that extra 1,500 people to show up for him on August 26.

My only experience watching Parnell in comparison with the rest of the pack in this race was at the Hispanic Affairs Council of Alaska's candidate forum in the early spring. He was hapless. He was the only candidate the audience derided. And he deserved it. He was the only candidate to refuse to answer important questions.

But Parnell's backers are determined to help get Young out of the way. I've been assuming for about two months that Parnell would handily beat Young on August 26. I'm not so sure, now. Young's campaign is ramped up more now than it ever has been. He's showing up in Alaska more this spring than in the past five years. At least publicly. And all this for a primary.

Like a lot of Democrats, I'm hoping Don beats Sean in August. I'm fairly convinced that both Diane and Ethan can beat Don, but that only Diane can beat Sean. And that Diane helps Mark Begich in November more than Ethan would. I've yet to get any information to convince me otherwise.

the writer of this article has contributed during this cycle to Diane Benson and Ethan Berkowitz. He has supported Diane Benson since mid-2006