Varying reactions and fallout from Republican Rep. Don Young’s endorsement of Mazie Hirono — instead of Linda Lingle — for U.S. Senate.

DC808 reports:

The endorsement by Alaska Rep. Don Young (a Republican) of Hawaii Rep. Mazie Hirono (not a Republican) for her U.S. Senate bid has been noticed in the political-media worlds.

A blog for The Washington Post, for example, called the TV spot “a slap in the face“ for Linda Lingle and the Republican National Committee, given Lingle’s emphasis on bipartisanship.

The National Journal wrote, “The ad and endorsement are likely aimed at taking wind out of (Ed) Case’s sails on his argument that Hirono is too liberal to effectively represent the state. And looking ahead to the general, it’s clear Hirono wouldn’t cede the ‘bipartisan’ ground to Lingle.”

The Alaska Dispatch, however, has a different take, saying Young is mostly known for being kooky and non-deological. Excerpt:

Who could forget that time he put his own wrist in a steel leg trap? Or waved an oosik (a walrus penis bone) at the director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service? Or that time he wore a propeller beanie to a congressional energy hearing? Who could forget the time he defended Rep. Joseph Cao, R-La., for not toeing the party line on health care reform?

And, here’s comment from a Red State blogger:

For Don Young (a member of the house) to endorse AND do an ad for someone from a different state for a SENATE race…especially when Governor Linda Lingle has a good chance of winning … is just plain disgusting. Some RINOs in Washington D.C. are just getting too comfortable that they are endorsing Democrats now.

—Chad Blair