by Sean Bowditch

NPR's Ken Rudin, the network's resident political junkie, just shared this fascinating bit of history with me. Call it the six degrees of separation in Alaska politics...

Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich, now the Democratic nominee for US Senate, is the son of the late Congressman Nick Begich (D-AK).

In 1972, Republican Don Young challenged the elder Begich. Joining Begich on the campaign trail that year was House Majority Leader Hale Boggs (D-LA). While en route to a campaign event in Juneau, their plane crashed, killing everyone aboard. Begich, whose name remained on the ballot, went on to defeat Young. When the seat was officially declared vacant, a special election was called in January of 1973. Young won the seat and has held it ever since.

Here's the eerie parallel. Ted Stevens ran for US Senate for a second time in 1968, but lost in the Republican primary. Then in December of 1968, Alaska's other US Senator, E.L. Bob Bartlett, died following heart surgery. Alaska Governor Walter Hickel, a Republican, promptly appointed Stevens to fill the vacant seat and he's held it ever since.

Now, fast forward to today... Ted Stevens will defend his Senate seat against Mark Begich in November. Both won their respective primaries yesterday by significant margins. Meanwhile, Don Young holds a razor-thin lead over primary challenger Sean Parnell, the current Lieutenant Governor of Alaska. But, as I write, the race is too close to call.