Democrat Ethan Berkowitz is now officially running for governor of Alaska in 2010 -- a race in which he hopes to expand upon the statewide base he built with his competitive 2008 challenge to veteran Republican Rep. Don Young, the state's only U.S. House member.
Berkowitz, who faces primary competition, is seeking to challenge interim Republican Gov. Sean Parnell. Parnell moved up from lieutenant governor on July 26 after incumbent Sarah Palin -- the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee -- resigned the office.
A Parnell-Berkowitz matchup would be a rematch of sorts, as both were lieutenant governor nominees, but they ran on gubernatorial tickets, Parnell with Palin and Berkowitz with Tony Knowles, a former governor who unsuccessfully sought a comeback in that race.
"I'm running for governor because the Alaska I know and love can be and should be much more," Berkowitz said in a statement that coincided with his filing of a statement of intent with the Alaska Public Offices Commission.
Berkowitz added later in his statement that after 50 years of Alaska statehood, "We have to stand on our own feet and assert the sovereignty that was envisioned when this bold experiment began. It is time to put Alaska first again."
Berkowitz, a former state House Democratic leader, lost the 2008 House election to Young by 5 percentage points. Young, who was first elected to the House in 1973, was plagued by ethics allegations during that campaign and had to come from behind in polls to overcome Berkowitz.
Democrats had courted Berkowitz to seek a rematch for the House seat but Berkowitz indicated early on that he would most likely run for governor.
Berkowitz joins a field for the August primary that already is occupied by state Sen. Hollis French and Bob Poe, a former public sector official in Alaska. Poe had been actively campaigning against Palin before she made her surprise resignation announcement this summer.
Parnell faces Republican primary competition from state Rep. John Harris.
CQ Politics currently rates the race Republican Favored.
To follow the 2009 and 2010 governors' races, check out CQ Politics' election map.
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