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Photo by Sam Harrel

FAIRBANKS — Addressing a packed room at the opening of his campaign headquarters in Fairbanks, Sen. Ted Stevens promised to use his seniority in the U.S. Senate to look out for Alaska’s interests.

“You all invested in me,” said Stevens, 84. “The positions I hold now are because you’ve elected me time after time. This is the time I think to send me back.”

Stevens said the worst of the nation’s problems center on energy, but immediate solutions should be buffeted with long-term goals that could prevent future generations from having to deal with the same issues.

“We’re trying to move now,” Stevens said. “What we don’t need to do is send someone down to work in the Senate that doesn’t have any seniority, that doesn’t have any knowledge of the background of what caused some of the problems we face now.”

He is making a bid for re-election to the seat he’s held since 1968, and welcomed supporters Wednesday evening to celebrate the opening of his Fairbanks campaign headquarters, which will be staffed through the primary and general elections.

He spent more than 15 minutes talking about the nation’s energy problems, making a push for Alaska to invest royalties from raw resource development into alternatives such as geothermal and hydropower generation.

Stevens approved of Gov. Sarah Palin’s plans to offer money to Alaskans to offset energy costs and to lower the state’s gas tax temporarily. He also pushed the need for long-term solutions, including investment in technologies like coal gasification and synthetic fuel manufacturing.

Energy was on the minds of many in Stevens’ audience as well. Larry Knapman stopped by the open house en route to harmonica practice. He said responsible energy development is important, as are issues facing senior citizens like himself.

“This is a chance to talk to the senator for a moment,” he said. “This campaign season, we have a lot of problems that need to be worked on.”

Supporters of all ages filled the campaign headquarters, munching on hot dogs and chips amid groups of red, white and blue balloons. Blown-up photographs on the walls depicted Stevens from a young man in football pads through his career representing Alaska.

A growing line of supporters waited in line to have a photograph taken with Stevens, who said the open house turnout was good.

“It’s very nice to see the young people here, particularly,” he said. “This is a broad base to work from.”

Campaign volunteer Joan Johnson was equally pleased with the turnout and the enthusiasm.

“This is going to be a good, strong campaign,” she predicted. “And we’re going to win this campaign.”

Johnson said the bid for re-election has drawn a large number of volunteers, and more are always welcome. People can offer as much or as little time as they choose for the diverse tasks.

One of those volunteers could be Trish Rumph, who was asking a staffer for more information on how she could participate.

Rumph left Ohio for Alaska in September and attended the open house to get a better grasp of Alaska politics.

Waiting in line to have her photo taken with the state’s senior senator, Rumph said she was impressed with how well many supporters in the room knew him.

“He seems very accessible,” she remarked. “Everybody seems to think of him as family.”