John McCain and Congressional Republicans may have abandoned Senator Ted Stevens, now a convicted felon, but the Alaskan GOP continues to support his election.

Stevens is in a tight race with Anchorage Mayor and Democrat Mark Begich. In most states, Stevens’ conviction would have ended his political career. In Alaska, it may be only another twist in the career of the country’s longest serving Republican Senator.

The way the Republican Party in Alaska sees it, they have no choice but to support Stevens on election day.

It is too late to put another candidate on the ballot. If Stevens’ resigned, a Republican would have to run under his name. That is not a good prospect for any honorable candidate, but Stevens’ refuses to resign anyway.

If Begich wins, he is in for 6 years and there is nothing that can be done to put a Republican into the seat until the term comes up for a vote in 2014.

If Stevens wins, he might still resign or be expelled from the Senate. In either case, a special election would be held to fill out the term. A Republican has a better chance to win under those circumstances.

Even though he is now a felon, Stevens can still serve in the Senate. Stevens cannot count on the usual advantages of his seniority or even juicy committee assignments in that case. It requires a two-thirds vote of the Senate to expel a member. That is possible, except the Democrats may figure why expel a Republican Senator who is powerless and discredited if Alaska is likely to elect a Republican anyway.

Yes, that is cynical, but no more than the state GOP continuing to push Stevens’ election.

Stevens is trying to make the best of the conviction on the campaign trail by taping into Alaskan mistrust of outsiders. He charges that his Washington, D.C., conviction is flawed and came from a biased jury in a liberal city.

Alaskan officials are also weighing if Stevens can vote on Tuesday. Alaska denies the right to vote for people convicted of “felonies involving moral turpitude.”

If Stevens is reelected, there is going to be a lot more that we will hear about Ted Stevens in the coming months.