Democrat Mary Peltola has won the special election for Alaska’s only seat in the House of Representatives, beating out contenders including Republican Sarah Palin, who was seeking a political comeback.
Palin was once governor of Alaska but left her position partway through her term to seek out television opportunities. The results were a disappointment for her, who was looking to make a comeback to the political scene 14 years after she was vaulted onto the national stage as John McCain’s 2008 presidential running mate. In her run for the House seat, she had widespread name recognition.
Palin also had the endorsement of former President Donald Trump.
But Palin’s critics questioned her commitment to Alaska. They cited her decision to resign as governor in July 2009, which was partway through her term. She became a conservative TV commentator and appeared on reality television programs, and pursued other interests.
The special election loss does not mean Palin won’t nab a seat in the House. Along with Peltola and other candidates, she is vying for a full two-year term that will be decided in November during the midterm elections.
Peltola, who is Yup’ik, will become the first Alaska Native to serve in the House and the first woman to hold the seat. She will serve the remaining months of the late Republican US Representative Don Young’s term, who held the seat for 49 years before he died in March.
It makes Pelota the first Democrat to hold the seat since the coming off better-than-expected performances in special elections around the country this year following the supreme court’s overturning of Roe v Wade. When he was declared dead, Young was elected to the seat in 1973.
Pelota’s victory is a big win for Democrats, particularly coming off better-than-expected performances in special elections around the country this year following the supreme court’s overturning of Roe v Wade.
Peltola ran as a coalition builder while her two Republican opponents – Palin and Begich’s grandson, also named Nick Begich – at times went after each other. Palin also railed against the ranked voting system, which was instituted by Alaska voters.
The results came 15 days after the 16 August election, in line with the deadline for state election officials to receive absentee ballots mailed from outside the US. Alaska used a ranked-choice voting system for the first time. Ranked choice tabulations took place Wednesday after no candidate won more than 50 percent of the first choice votes. Peltola was in the lead heading into the tabulation rounds.
Peltola, a former state lawmaker who most recently worked for a commission whose goal is to rebuild salmon resources on the Kuskokwim River, cast herself as a “regular” Alaskan.
“I’m not a millionaire. I’m not an international celebrity,” Pelota said.
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