Scott McAdams for U.S. Senate

Here's the thing. Lament not for Don Young's Alaskan-ness.

McAdams is an Alaskan-Alaskan without being arrogant, corrupt, crazy and destructive: born and raised, a real fisherman, worked years at a serious level on educational issues. He's not an oil tool, but talks reasonably for an Alaskan politician about greener oil development, and puts, correctly, fishing at a high priority. He seems to have the long view of the state in mind. 

On his website, there is a distinct flavor of native Alaskan values in his welcome statement, a core social sensibility that I've grown to admire over time. It's a voice that on first read I want to see at the national level.

Most importantly, he was a small-town mayor in a town where mayors actually did things, and something of a leader in municipal governments around the state- the nuts and bolts of good governance.

Meanwhile, his Teabag opponent, who is a veteran,but also a Yale Lawyer, and longtime Alaskan since 1995, keeps bleating about ending Social Security. You read that right.

My gut feeling is that McAdams, a guy who seems to have that long-forgotten quality of humble, consensus leadership, might become an outstanding Senator. I'm betting there aren't any skeletons. I expect him to be closer to Begich politically, which is to say, a moderate but generally progressive.