PRIORITIES: The Hill: Begich misses jobless vote for speech in Hawaii.

Sen. Mark Begich (D-Alaska) missed a procedural vote on extending unemployment benefits to deliver a speech to a lobby group in Hawaii, The Hill has learned.

Begich delivered a keynote speech Wednesday morning to the American Aviation Issues conference, an annual event hosted by the American Association of Airport Executives. He also held two fundraisers for his hotly contested Senate race and met with Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie (D) to discuss Alaska-Hawaii issues, according to a Begich aide. Elected officials from Hawaii and Alaska often work closely together on national issues to help give the states more clout.

The first-term senator is a top Republican target and will likely face a tight reelection battle this year in his heavily Republican state.

Yeah, but it was chilly on the East Coast.