Senator Ted Stevens
It's the longest-held Republican seat in the U.S. Senate. For four decades, it's belonged to Ted Stevens. Now, two other Republicans are challenging him for the spot. It's a primary race that shows just how fractious the Republican Party has become.

In less than a week, Republicans will have to choose between incumbent Sen. Stevens, newcomer Vic Vickers and lifelong Alaskan Dave Cuddy.

This is no typical primary. The incumbent is facing criminal charges that he lied about taking gifts from VECO and chief executive Bill Allen. With the specter of a trial looming over his re-election campaign, Alaska's powerful senior senator is vulnerable.

And Vickers knows that.

Even his campaign ads were shot in front of Stevens'

Dave Cuddy
Girdwood chalet—the house at the heart of the federal investigation.

"This corruption scandal is the end of an era," Vickers said. "There's a new blood in Alaska. Alaska needs new blood."

The former Democrat from Florida says he, himself, is that new blood.

"The first thing I will do is stand up to big oil," Vickers said. "I'm not taking a single penny from any oil company or special interest."

Such bravado has garnered threats—threats in which Alaskans tell him to "go back to Florida."

Vickers saved one message, filled with expletives, left on his voicemail:

    "Hey Vickers, where the h--- do you get off coming up here and threatening our senator? For your information, someone's going to nail you're --- buddy. You better knock that ---- off. Go back to Florida where you come from. You're not Alaskan. You don't even know what Alaska's like, you pig."

Vickers says, that particular message "crossed the line."

Threats notwithstanding, he remains in the race, prepared to spend up to a million dollars on his campaign.

Opponent Dave Cuddy's platform is to restore trust in government.

"Not only are Alaskans losing faith in government, but there are

Vic Vickers
2,200 cases of investigation of corruption of public officials nationwide," Cuddy said. "It's not just Alaska where this problem's happening."

But Stevens denies there is a problem.

When asked what he would do to restore Alaskans' faith in government—a question CBS 11 News asked of all candidates—Stevens said, "I don't think Alaskans' faith in government is bothered at all."

The senator says the real issue is energy.

"The major issue right is the price of gasoline at the pump and the price of fuel," Stevens said. "I think there's a series of things that have to be done, but we have to really wake up to the fact that this is a short term problem and there's a long term problem."

More Election Articles

Stevens has long pushed to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to exploration and development.

Vickers, however, says ANWR "should be opened up as a last resort." "Before we give them any more leases, we have to make sure all of the leases in Alaska are fully developed," Vickers said.

Cuddy says his stance is "the same as most Alaskans—that is, there's no reason not to be drilling in ANWR."

Three Republicans—each with his own perspective.

"We don't have any problems in Washington," Stevens said. "It's a perception here by some people in the news media that somehow think we've been hurt. We haven't been hurt."

Cuddy: "The Republican party is in turmoil and many of our Republicans have been involved in this VECO mess, so we've got to just grieve through it, mourn through it and build a better base."

Vickers: "The biggest issue is, of course, to stop corruption."

To contact Grace, call 907-273-3186.