Alaska voters cast ballots in ‘Super Tuesday’ frenzy

MAT-SU — The 2008 presidential race has reached Alaska.

Today is “Super Tuesday,” when 24 states hold either primary races or caucuses to determine the major party candidates for U.S. president. In the Mat-Su Valley, local Democrats and Republicans have their caucus and nominee selection meetings today to elect delegates to their respective state conventions.

In what has already progressed into hotly contested presidential races, both parties go into the 2008 election season charged up. For local Republicans and across the country, John McCain and Mitt Romney are the front-runners, with Mike Huckabee making a strong showing so far in the South. Also in the mix is Ron Paul. There’s much to debate for the 29 delegates Alaska Republicans will send to next month’s state convention.

Leading the Democratic Party’s pack are Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Mike Gravel. Most of the national media attention has been on the front-runners, Clinton and Obama, who are in a heated battle for the Democratic nomination. Today, Mat-Su Democrats in Districts 13-16 and part of District 12 will convene at the Grand View Inn and Suites in Wasilla to select 18 delegates to represent their candidate at the Alaska Democratic Convention, held May 23-25 at the Alaska State Fairgrounds in Palmer.

That such a high-profile presidential race highlights this year’s election season makes today’s caucuses exciting, said Carolyn Covington, secretary for the Mat-Su Democratic Party.

“A lot of the growing interest has to do with the enthusiasm people have for the Democratic ticket,” she said. “To be involved in this process this early in the game is a real excitement.”

Covington said the party is capitalizing on media coverage of the Obama and Clinton debates.

“I’ve never known so many young people to call and voice their support of their candidate,” she said. “I’m hopeful Clinton or Obama supporters will stay after the votes are tallied and talk. It is about joining forces.”

Covington said at this point it’s anybody’s guess who Mat-Su Valley Democrats will favor.

“If it was a week ago, before Edwards pulled out, I would have said it was a three-way tie,” she said. “I’m hoping for a 50-50 race now.”

Jim Turner, a Palmer business owner and chair of the Republican Party for District 13, said local Republicans’ presidential preference poll today is not as much a caucus as it is a voting opportunity to help bind national delegates together for a common nomination.

“People will be choosing how many delegates they will be committed to for that candidate and who will go to the state convention for representation,” Turner said.

Turner isn’t sure who could pull the Republican presidential nomination from Alaska, especially when it comes to young voters.

“The way things are looking, there could be a Republican candidate for President today,” he said. “There’s a sense that new voters in this state are joining Ron Paul’s or Huckabee’s campaigns. We’re getting a lot of feedback.”

Turner said he sees Republicans joining together in the state, which should make for a good old-fashioned political race worth watching.

“It’s anyone’s guess at this point,” he said about who Mat-Su Republicans will support. “It’s important to know what the rules are and to get involved.”

Contact J.J. Harrier at valleylife-@frontiersman.com or 352-2269.