Sounding relaxed after a bruising campaign and a hurried flight to Washington, Alaska's U.S. senator-in-waiting met with members of the Republican Senate majority on Thursday, giving him a chance to pitch for committee assignments he wants and to be inspired about the possibility of upcoming changes he said will benefit Alaska.
Sullivan, who could soon officially be declared the election winner over Democratic Sen. Mark Begich, is expected to be part of a new Republican majority in the U.S. Senate that swept into office on a wave of voter discontent with President Obama.
The state's former attorney general and natural resources commissioner, Sullivan led Begich on Friday afternoon by 6,651 votes, with around 30,000 absentee and questioned ballots remaining to be counted and possibly more arriving to also be tallied.
Begich has not conceded. The Associated Press called the election late Tuesday, triggering the invitation for Sullivan to vote for leaders of the Republican majority that will take control of the Senate in January, and to attend orientation meetings on such things as Senate rules and procedures.
Hours after the AP called the costliest race in Alaska history -- with more than $50 million spent -- Sullivan's staff hurriedly purchased plane tickets and he was bound for D.C.
Sullivan said it was important to travel to Washington to begin positioning himself to win sought-after committee assignments that will benefit Alaska.
"One of the really critical reasons I thought it was important to get down here -- and again I'm being respectful of our process with regard to the Division of Elections -- is the importance of people putting in their requests and expressing interests for different committee assignments," he said. "That process is important to the state."
Other senators are vying for the same committee spots, so it was necessary to get in the running, he said.
Speaking by phone from D.C. Friday before heading into a meeting with Rep. Don Young, Sullivan said he has met with both Republican and Democratic senators. He said he was excited to hear a lot of discussion among Republicans about the broad themes that were a centerpiece of his campaign.
"Federal overreach and overregulation, how to get that under control, and taking advantage of resource development and the American energy renaissance that this federal government has tried to undermine and has not seized," he said. "Those topics have broad-based interest among a lot of Republicans here, which is exciting for Alaska."
Sullivan had said in a Kodiak fisheries debate with Begich that he would pursue a seat on the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee with jurisdiction over fisheries. He did press for a spot on that committee, he said.
The trip included discussions with Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski on how Sullivan's committee assignments could complement those held by Murkowski, who is poised to become chair of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee and also serves on the Appropriations Committee.
Sullivan said he's also making requests to be part of the Senate's Environment and Public Works Committee to deal with issues such as infrastructure and overregulation, as well as the Armed Services and Veterans Affairs committees.
What's next on Sullivan's plate? Returning to Alaska, he said.
Sullivan, a U.S. Marine Corps reservist, said he needs to return this weekend to attend the U.S. Marine Corps ball with his family. He's got military training early next month, too, but said he expects to return to D.C. soon.
"I'm coming home," he said of Alaska.