The state's leading newspaper, the Anchorage Daily News, cited Stevens' "astonishingly bad judgment" and in an editorial advised voters to "not reward his arrogance" on election day.
Alaska's airwaves have been full of Stevens. Democratic ads endlessly replay excerpts from the senator's secretly taped telephone calls in which he worries about doing jail time. The ads also quote people who call themselves former Stevens supporters, urging parents to teach their children "the difference between right and wrong."
A Republican ad calls the charges against Stevens "hogwash."
"Ted Stevens may have made a few mistakes, but he didn't break any laws," the GOP ad says. "Give Ted Stevens the verdict he deserves: reelection."
Gerald McBeath, political science professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, said many Alaskans have only become aware of the seriousness of the charges since Stevens' conviction.
"It's a surprise to a lot of people that he was convicted because they think the charges were trivial ones," he said. Voters "didn't realize that they were felonies."
"Given the widespread Republicanism . . . about 30% of the state have said they would vote for him knowing he had been convicted," McBeath said. "I talk to people who support Stevens. One said he would vote for him if he were convicted of murder."
At Wednesday evening's welcome-home rally, Stevens emphasized his ability to get things done in Washington when, he said, the economic slowdown could threaten thousands of jobs in the state.
"I am not asking for your vote because of what we have achieved in the past," he said. "I'm running for election seeking your support because of what we can achieve in the future."
Rick Rydell, a local radio talk show host who introduced the senator at the airport rally, warned that Alaskans were in danger of losing their senator to a campaign from outside the state.
"It's a sad thing for Alaskans that people are saying, 'Maybe Ted should just step down," he said. "I don't particularly trust it when outsiders tell me what to do. You know what? You can kiss my Alaskan moose-hunting behind, because I know Ted, and I stand with him!"
Alaskans credit Stevens with helping the territory win statehood, settling Alaska Native land claims, expanding oil development and bringing home millions of federal dollars for highways, schools, hospitals and rural development.
But some have begun to question whether they are willing to vote for a felon.
"I can't make no bones about it: He's done some good things for the state, and to wipe it all out like this is just terrible," said Dorsey Roland, 46, an Eagle River resident who had been registered as a Republican but switched to independent about a year ago.
"He kind of lost sight of who he was representing," said Roland, who did not attend the airport rally. "It's very unfortunate, because the rest of the country's sitting there right now looking and waiting to see what we do. If we turn around now and elect a felon as our senator, were going to be the laughingstock of the country."
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kim.murphy@latimes.com
