Palin mum on whether Stevens should resign

GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin said Monday she is “confident” that convicted Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) “will do what’s right for the people of Alaska,” but stopped short of calling for Stevens to resign. 

A jury in Washington, D.C., earlier in the day had found the senator guilty of lying about receiving gifts. Palin, the governor of Stevens’s home state, called the senator’s conviction “a sad day for Alaska and for Sen. Stevens and his family.”

{mosads}“The verdict shines a light on the corrupting influence of the big oil service company that was allowed to control too much of our state,” Palin said in a statement. “It was part of the culture of corruption I was elected to fight. And that fight must always move forward regardless of party or seniority or even past service.”

Palin had said repeatedly that she would reserve judgment on Stevens until the jury reached a verdict.

“As governor of the state of Alaska, I will carefully monitor this situation and take any appropriate action as needed,” Palin said Monday. “In the meantime, I ask the people of Alaska to join me in respecting the workings of our judicial system.”

Stevens was already facing a tough reelection battle against Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich. The Alaska Democratic Party called on Stevens to resign Monday, and Democratic Senate candidates in competitive races around the country seized on the longest serving Republican senator’s conviction as a reason to elect them over sitting GOPers in the upper chamber.

Begich released a statement late Monday afternoon, but he did not mention Stevens by name.

“This past year has been a difficult time for Alaskans, but our people are strong and resilient and I believe that we will be able to move forward together to address the critical challenges that face Alaska,” Begich stated.