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It’s Alaska. Stevens will either retain his seat or he’ll be replaced by someone else who is crooked. That’s just how it is.

Stevens has been convicted. He cannot retain his seat while in prison. If he resigns the day after the election (assuming he wins), Palin gets to appoint the person who would be his replacement.

All Palin needs to do is get in front of the cameras in Alaska, explain all that, and promise to appoint a good person to replace him if he's re-elected.

Stevens has been convicted. He cannot retain his seat while in prison. If he resigns the day after the election (assuming he wins), Palin gets to appoint the person who would be his replacement.

The linked article says that Stevens CAN retain his seat:
"If he wins his re-election race against Democratic Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich, Stevens can continue to hold his seat because there is no rule barring convicted felons from serving in Congress. The Senate, however, could vote to expel Stevens on a two-thirds vote."

If he does win re-election and then resigns, or gets ousted by the Senate, I don't think Palin plays any role. According to Wikipedia, the Governor of Alaska doesn't have the appointment power. (Voters removed it in 2004, ticked off at Frank Murkowski for appointing his daughter to succeed him in the Senate.) Presumably that means the seat stays vacant until they can hold a special election.