There are two issues, and neither have any requirement that Stevens doe what’s best for the party.
His current Senate seat is his until January. Even if he resigns, the governor cannot select a replacement.. it would require a special election, and we are too close to the general for that. It’s either Stevens, or an empty Senate seat.
For the election, Stevens can stay in the race, even from prison. He can’t be taken off the primary ballot involuntarily. So here’s the timeline:
1. Stevens drops out before the primary. (The primary winner runs in the general, would hopefully be self-funding considering the lack of name recognition and the short campaign season.)
2. Stevens runs in the primary, but loses. (The primary winner runs in the general; not sure about this happening with the anti-Stevens vote split among 6 Republicans.)
3. Stevens runs in the primary, wins, but then drops out before the general. (The Alaska Republican Party selects a candidate to replace Stevens on the ballot.)
4. Stevens runs in the primary, wins, and then runs in the general. (Sen. Begich, D-AK)
#1 is out, the deadline to withdraw has passed.