Mark Begich

Trivia

• Mark Begich was elected to the U.S. in November 2008, beating 40-year Republican incumbent Sen. Ted Stevens who was convicted of 7 felony violations of ethics laws.
• Begich has been Mayor of Anchorage since 2003, where he has been a smart fiscal manager. He previously served 10 years on the Anchorage Assembly, including 3 years as Assembly Chair.
• A talented politician and leader, Begich was named in 1997 and 2004 as Alaska's top official by municipal officials.
• Begich's stances reveal robust respect for individuals' rights, including gun rights and privacy, and for youth programs and support.
• From 1988 (at age 26) to 1998, Begich was an elected Assemblyman on the 6-member Anchorage Assembly, including 3 years as Assembly Chair and 2 years as vice-chair.
• Begich, considered a political prodigy, was appointed to the Anchorage Youth Commission at age 17.
• At age 19, he was appointed to the City health department.
• Begich was elected Anchorage mayor in 2003, after unsuccessful runs in 1994 and 2000.
• Anchorage boasts 300,000 residents, 20% who are Alaskan Native, Native American or Asian ethnicities.
• Begich has worked closely to meet these groups' needs, and named the new $100-million convention center after indigenous Alaskans.

Quotes

• "We must end our military's participation in Iraq's civil war so we can shift our attention back where it belongs: fighting al Qaeda in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and elsewhere."
• "Mark believes that it is time for America to safely and responsibly redeploy our troops out of Iraq. Our troops have served admirably, but political leadership has failed them with no plan, inadequate equipment and diplomatic neglect..."
• "He will fight to return control to Alaska’s parents and educators and for the millions of dollars in federal support promised, but not delivered, to Alaska schools."
• "Mark believes that the Bush administration’s No Child Left Behind law has been a disaster in Alaska and as Senator will work to return to an education policy that respects community values."
• "But also through my mom's (as I call) survival of six kids and raising, what I did know that as a member of a community you need to give back. And it could be through your church, it could be through a non-profit, it could be through political life."
• "But each time I've done that, one of the things, as time progressed, I learned from other people more about my dad's history and things because at 10 I didn't know a lot about what he had done."
• ""My first business license was at 14. I opened up the first teenage nightclub in Anchorage at 16. I owned real estate. I've been in the vending business, restaurant business, printing business. I've been in a lot of different businesses."
• "Senators and senior senatorial staff should disclose all income and assets, down to the dollar for themselves, their spouses and dependent children."
• ""Every earmark requested by a senator should be posted online so Alaskans know what & who their elected officials are fighting for. Senators should disclose on whose behalf the earmark was requested & how it will benefit their constituents..."
• "Recent ethics reform legislation doesn't do anything to shed light on what other special interest projects the senator may be seeking. The earmark requests made public are available only by going in person to the Appropriations Committees' offices in Washington, DC."