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Back in the hunt? Stevens files for 2014 election

by Jill Burke
Wednesday, April 8, 2009

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Ted Stevens has filed to run again in the 2014 race for U.S. Senate, but it doesn't necessarily mean he wants his old seat back.

The reason could be as simple as wanting to keep raising and spending campaign money.

Stevens filed a statement of candidacy with the Federal Elections Commission earlier this year and could be gearing up to make another run against Sen. Mark Begich.

Tim McKeevor, Stevens' campaign treasurer, prepared the paperwork. McKeevor says it was a necessary step to comply with FEC rules. Assuming there's any other purpose to the filing at this stage would be a mistake, McKeevor said.

Once Election Day ended last November, so did the campaign term. Stevens still had money coming in after that date, and to account for it properly, Stevens had to open a new campaign cycle -- in this case, 2014, McKeevor said.

Stevens intends to do one of two things, said Stanley Brand, a Washington, D.C., attorney who specializes in politics and criminal defense.

"(Either) he truly intends to be a candidate at some point, or he is leaving opening the possibility so that he can defray his legal expenses," Brand said.

McKeevor points to the fact that the filing was made before the dramatic turn of events this week in Stevens' criminal trial. From McKeevor's perspective it's an administrative matter to keep the committee going.

But unless Stevens denies he's running, campaign finance experts -- and the FEC -- aren't ruling it out.

Campaign committees can go on indefinitely and are not uncommon for former candidates who still have expenses to pay off. But if a candidate openly admits they have no genuine plans to run, the FEC could block their ability to keep the campaign committee in place.

"I mean that would create a problem," Brand said. "Because the FEC might say if you're not truly a candidate, or testing the waters, or doing something that could lead to your running for office, then you are not entitled to collect campaign money."

Another issue is Stevens' age -- he'll be almost 91 years old on Election Day 2014. That could be a problem for voters, said political analyst Jennifer Duffy.

"While he was popular, I think that age is a factor," Duffy said. "I mean consider how much John McCain's age was discussed during the presidential campaign, and he is 20 years younger.

"I think it is hard to convince voters to give you six years in the Senate at that age."

A U.S. District Court judge dropped felony charges against Stevens on Tuesday.

Calls made by Channel 2 News on Wednesday to reach Stevens directly went unanswered.

Begich -- who successfully beat Stevens last fall -- has filed the same paperwork, and Begich confirmed that he does plan to run for a second term.

Contact Jill Burke at jburke@ktuu.com