Obama Campaign Quietly Backs Away From Plans to Contest Alaska

JUNEAU, Alaska — The Palin punch has delivered a blow to Barack Obama’s slim hopes of capturing Alaska’s three electoral votes on Nov. 4. Obama’s high profile in the state has taken a precipitous slide since Aug. 29, when popular Gov. Sarah Palin joined Sen. John McCain on the Republican presidential ticket. Two of Obama’s Alaska campaign offices have consolidated into one and another did not open as advertised. One of two press secretaries assigned to Alaska has left. Alaskans last chose a Democrat for the presidency in 1964, when they backed Lyndon B. Johnson by a 2-1 margin over Barry Goldwater. Since 1980, the state has sent an all-Republican congressional delegation to Washington. Of the state’s 482,045 registered voters, 121,338 are Republican, 73,876 are Democrat and 181,848 are undeclared — a bloc the Obama campaign had hoped to win over. Obama spokeswoman Nayyera Haq said the campaign still planned several rallies and parties tied to the ... (link)