Following former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's (R) revelation that she's considering a 2014 U.S. Senate run, Sen. Mark Begich (D), who currently holds the state's seat, expressed doubts about her status as a resident of Alaska on four different occasions during a Wednesday interview with Politico.
"I don't know if she's a resident," he said. "She's been away from Alaska a lot and has probably lost touch with what's going on."
In an interview Tuesday with Sean Hannity, Palin stressed that Begich "has got to be replaced."
Arguing that he failed to deliver on his promises to the people of Alaska, Palin denounced Begich's rapport with Democratic leadership as a "waste of opportunity for our nation," and jabbed the freshman senator for being "on the wrong side of the aisle."
The very next day, Begich appeared eager to jab back, casting doubt on Palin's commitment to the state. "She quit on Alaska," Begich told Politico, noting that she's been largely "vacant" from local happenings and even suggesting that the former governor should visit his website to reacquaint herself with what's new in Alaska. "Most Alaskans I see on a pretty regular basis, but I haven't seen her for a long time," he said.
The senator also noted that Republicans Joe Miller and Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell have both officially announced their candidacy for the 2014 race against him. On the possibility of Palin facing off against Miller and Treadwell in a Republican primary, Begich scoffed that "she may not survive."
An Alaska PPP poll found that the former Anchorage mayor's approval ratings took a hit earlier this year, possibly due to his unpopular vote against the expansion of background checks for firearm sales. However, Begich still leads most of his potential 2014 opponents, including Palin, by a full 16 points.
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