Supporters increase efforts in senatorial race

While Senator Ted Stevens' federal trial wraps up, it's getting down to the wire for campaign efforts for both Senator Ted Stevens and Mayor Mark Begich. Now both sides are pulling out all the stops.

This Senate race is in a dead heat between Senator Ted Stevens and Mayor Mark Begich. Some big wigs coming from outside the state are aiding both campaigns. Tuesday Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison from Texas paid a visit to our state.

Senator Hutchison explained why she was here, "I came,

because I knew that he [Senator Ted Stevens] couldn't be here. He wanted to be here campaigning and talking about what he wants to do for Alaska for the next six years."

Senator Hutchison herself has been indicted in the past, but was cleared of any charges. So she's now advising Stevens and trying to do anything she can to help out his campaign.

Senator Hutchison advised Stevens, "You get this behind you, and you face it, just like you've faced everything in your life and everything will be ok."

So while Senator Stevens is in Washington D.C. for the final stage of his trial, she came to Alaska to campaign for him.

"You're seeing the people who are supportive of him saying, he can't be here, so we're going to be here helping

him in every way that we can," commented Senator Hutchison.

The Begich campaign doesn't know if outsiders coming into to the state to campaign on behalf of candidates helps or hurts.

Begich Campaign Spokesperson Julie Hasquet said, "I think what Alaskans like to hear is from the candidate. Alaskans probably more than any state really don't like to hear that much from outsiders."

Hasquet says it's always going to be an advantage to have the candidate out there doing the campaign

work.

Hasquet added, "We had Senator Tester from Montana up here this summer, but other than that it's really just been Mark Begich."

The Begich Campaign is happy Mark Begich has been able to do that for weeks, because the campaign says he's really the best one to deliver his message."

Meanwhile, both sides will continue to fight till the finish.

Standing by Senator Hutchison, Senator Lisa Murkowski added, "He stood with us for forty years and we'll continue to stand by him, and if it means that Senator Hutchison travels all the way from Texas to be here to make this statement. I think that's a testimonial to the quality of man that Ted Stevens is."

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