Sen. Mark Begich faced no serious challenger in Tuesday’s election, so he’s been out of the campaign spotlight in recent weeks. He told supporters at a luncheon in Anchorage that Sullivan and the rest of the Republican field pulled to a conservative extreme in the pre-Primary debates.
“They have gone so far right, you can’t even describe what right is anymore,” Begich said.
Sullivan has said he wants abortion to be illegal, except in cases of rape or incest, or to save the mother’s life. He supports laws barring same-sex marriage and says the Supreme Court made the right call in the Hobby Lobby case, which allows certain employers to refuse insurance coverage for IUDs and other birth control methods they object to. Begich takes the opposite positions.
“You all know me. I’ve been pro-choice from day 1,” Begich told about 170 people at the fundraising event. “It is the women’s choice to make the choice about their healthcare. And we don’t need government telling you what to do with your bodies. And we don’t need Dan Sullivan to tell you what to do with your bodies.”
Begich has been under attack for allegedly taking undue credit for achievements of the entire Alaska delegation to Congress, and Sen. Lisa Murkowski demanded he take down an ad saying they work well as a team. Begich, though, listed what he says are his successes, such as building the military presence in Alaska, fully funding tribal healthcare contracts, opening the Arctic to offshore oil drilling, and expanding healthcare options for Alaska veterans.
“I’m proud of these accomplishments. I know my opponents are already churning up, ready to say, ‘We’re going to after Begich’s accomplishments,’” Begich said. “You bet. Bring it on. Bring it on. I’ll talk to you until you’re blue in the face about everything I’ve done to make Alaska a better place.”
The candidates and independent political groups have already spent more than $18 million on the race. For the primary, that comes out to about $115 per voter.
Dan Sullivan wasn’t available for an interview today. He didn’t talk to reporters on election night and had no public appearances today. His spokesman said Sullivan granted two print interviews but needed to rest his voice, which laryngitis has reduced to a whisper.
Liz Ruskin is the Washington, D.C., correspondent at Alaska Public Media. Reach her at lruskin@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Liz here.
