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The final counts are in and Mark has expanded his lead to more than 3,700 votes!

Following the final count today of the roughly 24,000 remaining ballots in the Alaska U.S. Senate race, Mark Begich leads Senator Ted Stevens by 3,724 votes; 150,728 to 147,004.

Begich released the following statement following the count:

I am humbled and honored to serve Alaska in the United States Senate,” Begich said. “It’s been an incredible journey getting to this point, and I appreciate the support and commitment of the thousands of Alaskans who have brought us to this day. I can’t wait to get to work fighting for Alaskan families.

Thank you to all the supporters who have taken us to this point. We could not have done this without you!

According to the Division of Elections, at the end the day yesterday, Mark is ahead by 814 votes. (Begich: 132,196 at 47.41%, Stevens: 131,382 at 47.12%)

Mark released this statement after yesterday’s ballot counting:

“I’ve always said that this would be a close race. After watching the votes today, I remain cautiously optimistic. As I have said before, we ran an aggressive campaign, especially when it came to early voting and absentee. From what we’re seeing, thousands of Alaskans, like me, did come out and vote early. I’m confident that Alaskans, like the rest of the country, want a new direction in Washington, and ultimately that will be reflected in the results.”

Following yesterday's counting of early and absentee ballots by the Division of Elections, we hold a 814 vote lead over Ted Stevens.

Heather Rauch, Campaign Manager, sent this email to supporters this morning:

Today, Begich campaign staff around the state monitored Division of Election (DOE) sites as the first 50,000 early and absentee ballots were counted. This evening the DOE is reporting that we have closed the gap between Mark and Ted Stevens and now lead by 814 votes - a 4000 swing in one day! We're excited about the latest count, but know with 40,000 absentee and question ballots out, we still have a lot of work to do to ensure every vote is counted.

Mark released this statement on these preliminary results:

"I've always said that this would be a close race. After watching the votes today, I remain cautiously optimistic. As I have said before, we ran an aggressive campaign, especially when it came to early voting and absentee. From what we're seeing, thousands of Alaskans, like me, did come out and vote early. I'm confident that Alaskans, like the rest of the country, want a new direction in Washington, and ultimately that will be reflected in the results."

Mark will be appearing on The Ed Schultz Show at 8:30am AKST (9:30am PST, 12:30pm EST) Thursday and The Rachel Maddow's Show on MSNBC Thursday to discuss the campaign. Make sure to tune in!

The Division of Elections will continue to count the 40,000 remaining ballots starting Friday and going into early next week. All ballots must be counted by November 19th and the DOE plans to certify the election on Tuesday, November 25th.

In the end we expect that this will be a very close race and there will be a recount. We are starting to prepare for this scenario, and will really need your support to make sure every vote is counted fairly.

We will keep fighting to win this election and send new leadership to Washington that will move Alaska, and this country, forward.

Thank you,

Heather Rauch
Campaign Manager
Alaskans for Begich

Today, Mark received the endorsement of the Peninsula Clarion, the third Alaska newspaper to endorse Mark in the past few days. Mark was the only Democratic candidate to receive the papers endorsement.

The Clarion wrote:

The overriding factor in endorsing any candidate, to us, is how effectively we think a candidate can represent us, whether it be in Juneau or Washington, D.C.

Mark had this to say about the endorsement:

I’m humbled to have the support of another prominent Alaska newspaper. Our campaign has been about reaching out to Alaskans and offering an independent, ethical leader to move Alaska forward. I’m pleased to see support throughout the state for what I will offer Alaska as a U.S. Senator.

Paul Lincoln of Newtok wrote this letter to the Anchorage Daily News:

It has been quite interesting to see two well-known politicians seek a senate seat in Washington, D.C.

I consider myself a Republican at the national level, but the circumstance surrounding our current U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens cause me to rethink how I am going to cast my vote.

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As we get closer to the election, an increasing number of letters in support of Mark's candidacy are being submitted to newspapers around the state.

These letters were submitted to the Anchorage Daily News by supporters:

Sandra Borbridge of Juneau wrote:

It's time for Stevens to step down

Like most Alaskans, I have benefited from the representation of Ted Stevens as our U.S. senator. He has served us for many years and has served us well. It is time for us to give Sen. Stevens a well-deserved rest, and it is time for a new generation to lead the charge.

We are fortunate to have Mark Begich running for the U.S. Senate, giving us a real choice. He has a proven track record based on his service as mayor of Anchorage. In recent weeks I have come to appreciate his understanding of and support for the critical issues facing rural Alaska.

Supporters for Sen. Stevens say we need to support him because of his seniority. He will not be our senator forever -- in fact, this is probably his last run for office. In the 2014 elections I would prefer we have a U.S. senator with six years' experience seeking re-election rather than a new candidate with no experience. A vote for Mark Begich is a vote for that experience in 2014.

It is time for us to start the next session of Congress with a clean slate. It is easy for me to picture a new team for Alaska who will work well together -- Sen. Mark Begich, Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Rep. Ethan Berkowitz.

Jamie Allison of Palmer wrote:

Alaska needs new voice in Senate

As mayor of Anchorage, Mark Begich has encouraged eligibility increases to allow more of Alaska's hard-working families to access Denali KidCare for their children. Federal funding for DKC is as high as 70 percent. A modest investment by the state of Alaska with changes to eligibility requirements could allow more than 1,000 Alaskan children to access health care coverage. The state of Alaska is enjoying a surplus at a time when many Alaska families are not. Crippling travel, heating and food costs are straining household budgets. Geographic distances decrease access to quality health care; seasonal employment reduces access to quality health care insurance. Alaska's complex challenges require an innovative and practical Alaska voice in the U.S. Senate.

Jean Anderson wrote this letter to the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner:

When my husband and I arrived in Fairbanks in August 1966, we were in our 20s, and Alaska was a blue state. The place was optimistic, forward-looking, liberal and idealistic. Democrat Ernest Gruening was the state’s senior senator — and how amazing that this young state, with its tiny population, was represented in Congress by someone so intellectually gifted.

When the flood of 1967 came along, Sen. Bob Bartlett, Alaska’s junior senator, toured Island Homes and stood with us in our ruined house. Bartlett, another Democrat, was tall, intelligent and soft-spoken. He’d grown up in Fairbanks, so he described the floods he’d seen, then took our hands and said: “We’re going to get you people some help.”

In spring 1968, I attended a tea supporting congressional candidate Nick Begich, held at a neighbor’s well-scrubbed, recently flooded house. Soon-to-be Rep. Begich was intense and serious, a young family man who inspired people with his energy and ideas.

The North Pole flood control project began with the efforts of these leaders, plus then-governor Democrat Bill Egan, a populist from Valdez. “Bill,” as everybody called him, was on a first-name basis with half the town. Gov. Egan greeted people in Co-Op with: “How’s your dad? How’s your sister’s health?”

How tragic that these leaders were all dead in a few years. They made me proud to live here. They valued Alaska and Alaskans, not personal power. They needed no “war chests” for legal fees. I can’t imagine any one of them ever being charged with a felony. Each would have regarded “Joe Six-Pack” as a slur, not a phrase to court voters.

But I think Alaska is about to stun pollsters and turn blue again. How inspiring to see the energy of young Alaskans at Barack-the-Vote rallies. How exciting to see Mark Begich following his father’s lead. Let’s send him and Ethan Berkowitz to a Democratic Congress and bring Sarah (and her new $150,000 wardrobe) back to Juneau.

The Anchorage Daily News and the Juneau Empire have endorsed Mark for U.S. Senate.

The Anchorage Daily News wrote:

We recognize that Sen. Stevens has done much to benefit our state, but, like many Alaskans, we are troubled by the arrogance, poor judgment and lack of personal integrity revealed during his trial. Since the verdict, the condemnation of his conduct has been bipartisan. Republican presidential candidate John McCain, Gov. Sarah Palin and Senate colleagues of both parties have called upon Sen. Stevens to resign his office.

Mayor Begich offers Alaskans a fresh, effective start. A pragmatic Democrat, he has demonstrated a willingness to work with politicians of all political stripes, from a Republican governor and legislative leaders to his ideological opponents on the Anchorage Assembly. If elected to the Senate, he would be a member of the majority party, unlike incumbent Sen. Lisa Murkowski, which would give Alaskans a voice in both the majority and minority caucuses.

Mayor Begich is no left-winger. He is the son of a political family with deep roots in Alaska. His father, Nick Begich, was twice elected Alaska's lone congressman. He is a small-business owner who has spent much of his adult life working in government at the grass-roots level. He is young, energetic and full of ideas. As mayor, he has proven time and again his ability to advance those ideas to reality.

You can read the full article here: http://www.adn.com/opinion/view/story/573861.html.

The Juneau Empire wrote:

The Anchorage Democrat comes with new ideas for the state and a new attitude about communicating clearly, honestly and transparently with his constituents.

With the nation's economy slumping, a fresh voice in Congress is as necessary as it is refreshing. In talks with the Juneau Empire's editorial board, Begich said Congress should go after CEOs of failed financial institutions and take away their golden parachutes, as well as should ensure that the country's small business community has access to much needed capital. He said now is the time for a stimulus package to create jobs and build infrastructure.

You can read the entire article here: http://juneauempire.com/stories/103108/opi_350325491.shtml.

Check our new ad "Difficult Times" and make a contribution to help keep this commercial on the air.

I am not sure if any of you tuned in to watch the final inning of the World Series, but Mark just sent this email to supporters asking that you join us for the final inning of this campaign. We are in the bottom of the ninth and need you to step up to the plate and hit one out of the park so we can win on Election Day.

Join us in these final days of the election to get out the vote! Sign up online at http://action.begich.com/page/s/gotv.

Here is Mark's message:

Friend --

We are in the final inning of the campaign, and the bases are loaded. We need to hit a home run to win on November 4th and set a new direction for Alaska!

Will you join us in these final few days of the election to get out the vote?

http://action.begich.com/page/s/finalinning

The last 4 days of a campaign are like the final inning in the World Series. We have played a great game throughout, but the election is too close to call. What matters now, as in any election, is how strong our team plays in the final stretch.

We need you to join us in these final days of the election. We have to talk directly to as many Alaskans as possible about moving forward - moving past the corruption to deal with the critical issues facing Alaska families.

http://action.begich.com/page/s/finalinning

There is a stark difference between this election and the World Series, though...there is no "better luck next year"! If we lose this election, we risk Alaska's future.

Sen. Stevens will not have seniority in the Senate after this election. Senior Republicans have already asked for him to resign, and have stated he will very well be voted out of the Senate if re-elected.

It is time to send new leadership to Washington that will be able step in and work across party lines to get things done for Alaska. Our families have suffered enough over the last year...it is time to move on and move forward.

The bases are loaded. You are up to bat. Bring the win home for our team.

Sign up to help us get out the vote today!

http://action.begich.com/page/s/finalinning

Thank you for all you have done and all you will do to help us win on Election Day.

Mark

P.S. If you cannot volunteer but want to support the campaign, you can make a contribution by visiting  https://donate.begich.com/page/contribute/gotv.