Sarah Palin advances in Alaska race for U.S. House

Alaska Republican U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Kelly Tshibaka, her Republican rival who was endorsed by former president Donald Trump, advanced from Tuesday’s primary. Sarah Palin, a Republican seeking to be elected again after more than a decade in office, was among those candidates who advanced to November’s general election in the race of Alaska’s one U.S. House Seat.

Murkowski expressed her confidence that she would win and earlier in the day, told reporters that what matters was winning in November. Tshibaka described the results as “the first step towards breaking the Murkowski monarchy’s grip on Alaska.”

A Murkowski holds the Senate seat since 1981. Prior to Lisa Murkowski who is currently in the Senate as late 2002, it was Frank Murkowski.

Murkowski was one of just seven Republican senators who voted to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial after the Capitol riot of Jan. 6, 2021.

A voter-approved election process is being used for the first Alaska elections this year. Party primaries have been canceled and ranked choice voting will be used in general elections. The four highest vote-getters in each primary race, regardless if they are from the same party, will advance to the general elections.

The two other places in the Senate race were too close to calling.

In the House primary, Democrat Mary Peltola and Palin advanced to the November election. It was too early for the fourth spot to be decided. The November race winner will be elected to a 2-year term.

Begich, Palin, and Peltola were also candidates in a special election that was held to fill the remaining term of late-Rep. Don Young. This election will end early next year. Young died in March. The special election offered voters their first chance at ranked voting in a statewide contest. The winner of the special elections may not be announced until August 31.

The special election was on the one side of the ballot. The other side had primary races for U.S. Senate and U.S. House governors and lieutenant governors, and legislative seats.

Palin pans new voting system

Palin made Tuesday’s statement calling this “the first case of the convoluted, unfavorable ranked-choice electoral system.”

Begich, a businessman who comes from a prominent family of Democrats, came out strongly against Palin during her campaign. She sought to portray her as someone who is chasing fame and as a quitter. Palin resigned in 2009 during her term as governor.

One of Palin’s ads’ narrator calls Begich “negative Nick” in which he says that Palin wants “to carry Don Young’s torch.”

Peltola is a former lawmaker and most recently worked on a commission that aims to rebuild salmon resources in the Kuskokwim River. She has described herself as “regular Alaskan” as well as a consensus-builder.

Republican Gov. of Alaska won the race for governor. Mike Dunleavy, former governor, advanced. Bill Walker, an independent candidate, and Les Gara, a Democrat, advanced. It was too soon to name the fourth spot.

Dunleavy and Nancy Dahlstrom in a statement said This “is just the beginning of the race.” We will be looking at all the data as it comes in over the next few hours to determine where we need to strengthen our campaign. We look forward to reaching every Alaskan to earn their votes between now and November.

Walker runs with Heidi Drygas, Gara with Jessica Cook.