Alaska legislators reject Palin's pick for state Senate

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Sean Cockerham | Anchorage Daily News

JUNEAU — Senate Democrats this afternoon rejected Gov. Sarah Palin's appointment of Tim Grussendorf to the state Senate.

Palin appointed Grussendorf, a legislative aide, on Sunday to the seat that opened when Juneau Democrat Kim Elton resigned to take a federal job.

It was a controversial pick that Grussendorf's own party said immediately it would try to block.

The party has proposed that Juneau Rep. Beth Kerttula get the job.

Grussendorf is chief of staff for Bethel Democratic Sen. Lyman Hoffman and his father is Ben Grussendorf, a former Democratic state House speaker from Sitka. He lost a race for the state House in 2002.

Palin has 10 days to submit another name.

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