Will change be the byword in Alaska?

The names are set on Alaska’s Feb. 5 “Super Tuesday” races.

According to the Alaska Republicans’ Web site, the following candidates have qualified on the Alaska primary ballot: Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, John McCain, Ron Paul, Duncan Hunter and Fred Thompson.

Making the deadline for Democratic presidential candidates to qualify for the Alaska caucus ballot are Barack Obama, John Edwards, Hillary Clinton and Dennis Kucinich. On the ballot for Alaska but withdrawn or expected to withdraw from the national race are Mike Gravel, Bill Richardson, Joe Biden and Christopher Dodd, according to the Web site for the Alaska Democrats.

With wins by Obama and Huckabee in the opening round in Iowa, the stage was set for candidates promising “change” — lots of change. Wins by Clinton and McCain in New Hampshire a week later sent a mixed message that will surely mean an interesting political season.

While Alaska’s 18 Democratic and 29 Republican delegates may be lost in a sea of delegates decided in 20 states on Feb. 5, they will be counted along with the others, instead of being johnny-come-lately afterthoughts, as in past presidential races.

While the presidential race will grab the press, how Alaska voters cast their ballots in the primaries may give an inkling about the mood of the state’s populace in regard to its largely “old guard” congressional delegation, in particular its two veterans up for election in 2008.

Ted Stevens has been in Congress since 1968; Don Young, since 1973. In an election year where the buzzword is change, could it translate into a change for Alaska’s delegation? That, coupled with the taint of possible federal investigation clinging to Stevens and Young, could mean a fresh breeze blowing.

The Iowa caucuses already supplied some surprises with the decisive upending of longtime frontrunner Hillary Clinton. Iowans also ignored the big-buck campaign of Mitt Romney, himself from a prominent political family, in favor of the grassroots candidacy of Huckabee. While Iowa is a long way from Alaska, Alaskans are known for their own grassroots thinking and independent streaks.

As we said before, it should be a hot political year for Alaska. We look forward to hearing from the candidates — old and new — as we as Alaska voters decide just how much change is good for this state.