The Eye

Since that race, of course, Palin has become a national figure, thanks to her selection as Republican vice presidential nominee in 2008.

Palin has not said whether she intends to run for another term as governor.

A statewide poll conducted earlier this month found that Palin is still popular in Alaska. That survey, which had a margin of error of 4.9 percentage points, found that 53 percent of respondents had a positive opinion of Palin, down from a 61 percent feeling favorable toward her during the presidential campaign. The earlier survey also had a 4.9 percentage point margin of error.

Looking back, Berkowitz said, he thinks he lost to Young because Alaskans were unwilling to give up too much seniority in Congress.

While he was trying to oust Young in 2008, Alaskans were making the same keep-or-reject decision about Sen. Ted Stevens, whose tenure since 1968 had made him the longest-serving Republican senator in history. Stevens lost to Democrat Mark Begich.

"Change is incremental," Berkowitz said. "Ted Stevens helped out Don Young a lot."

Though he sounds ready to begin another campaign, don't look for a Berkowitz candidacy announcement any time soon.

"It's summertime here," he said. "People don't want to hear about all this yet. They want to go fishing."

CQ Politics rates the race "Republican favored."

-- Susannah Clark