Democratic candidates for Congress stuck largely to energy issues — and, when the chance arose, blasted incumbent Republican Rep. Don Young — at a Sunday night debate in Fairbanks. Berkowitz said lower energy costs would leave people with more money to invest, spend and put their kids through school. “It doesn’t matter to me if it’s gas coming down from the North Slope or renewables or maybe some kind of technology that we’re just learning about today,” he said. “Let’s start doing it for ourselves.”

In his pursuit of the House seat held for 35 colorful years by Alaska’s Republican Rep. Don Young, Democratic legislator Ethan Berkowitz turned to the northern equivalent of kissing babies: He gamely jumped on a sled and hustled a team of dogs over the Iditarod trail.

A new poll shows that the two longtime Republican elected officials from Alaska, Sen. Ted Stevens and Rep. Don Young, face serious obstacles to winning reelection. Young is in even worse shape. The 17-term congressman trails former state Rep. Ethan Berkowitz, his likely Democratic opponent, by a 20-point margin — 58 percent to 38 percent. A 52-percent majority of voters said they held a negative opinion of Young, while Berkowitz holds strong favorable ratings.

A new Alaska poll finds long-time Republican incumbents, Sen. Ted Stevens and Rep. Don Young, trailing against their likely opponents this November. In a general election match-up, Berkowitz has a healthy margin over Young, 58%-38%. About one-third of respondents have a positive view of Young, while a majority, 52%, have a negative opinion.

A new survey taken for an independent group shows Senator Ted Stevens and Rep. Don Young, both long-time Republican incumbents, trailing in their bids for re-election, thanks in large part to a scandal involving an oil services corporation that has already ensnared several GOP state legislatures. The poll has good news for Democrats.

In the U.S. House race, a new Hellenthal poll shows Berkowitz beating Young by a wide margin, 58 percent to 38 percent.

A new poll conducted by Research 2000 on behalf of the liberal Daily Kos website shows Stevens trailing Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich 48 to 43 percent, The poll showed Young trailing his likely Democratic opponent, former state House Minority Leader Ethan Berkowitz, 50 to 40 percent.

The poll, conducted by independent pollster Research 2000 for DailyKos, was conducted 5/12-14 among 600 likely voters for a margin of error of +/- 4%. Young and former State Rep. Ethan Berkowitz, who leads the Democratic primary, were tested. The survey sample was 32% Republican, 20% Democratic and 48% independent or otherwise affiliated.

Research 2000 poll asks: “If 2008 election for Congress were held today, for whom would you vote for if the choices were between Ethan Berkowitz, the Democrat, and Don Young, the Republican?” The results were: Berkowitz (D) — 50% vs. Young (R) — 40%

Rep. Don Young has said he never allowed convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff to be an influential force over him in Congress. But now a trove of old billing records from two of Abramoff’s firms show that his team of lobbyists had more than 120 contacts with Young’s personal and committee staffs over 25 months, including at least 10 with Young himself.