The head of Alaska's Republican Party is calling for Democratic Sen. Mark Begich to step down and clear the way for a new election now that felony misconduct charges have been dropped against former Sen. Ted Stevens, reports the Anchorage Daily News. Stevens would not have lost in November if voters had known the "corrupt" Department of Justice would drop its case against him, claims Randy Reudrich.
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin issued a statement backing a special election. Begich fired back, saying that while there was evidence of misconduct in Stevens' corruption trial, he entered the race long before Stevens' legal troubles began "because Alaskans were looking for a change and a senator as independent as Alaska."
(More Sarah Palin stories.)