Say buh-bye (for now), Caribou Barbie:
Democrat Mary Peltola won the special election for Alaska’s only U.S. House seat on Wednesday, besting a field that included Republican Sarah Palin, who was seeking a political comeback in the state where she was once governor.
Peltola, who is Yup’ik and turned 49 on Wednesday, 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 U.S. Rep. Don Young’s term. Young held the seat for 49 years before his death in March. [snip]
Peltola’s victory, in Alaska’s first statewide ranked choice voting election, is a boon 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. She will be the first Democrat to hold the seat since the late U.S. Rep. Nick Begich, who was seeking reelection in 1972 when his plane disappeared. Begich was later declared dead and Young in 1973 was elected to the seat.
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.
All three - Peltola, Palin and Begich - are candidates in the November general election, seeking a two-year term that would start in January.
The results came 15 days after the Aug. 16 election, in line with the deadline for state elections officials to receive absentee ballots mailed from outside the U.S. Ranked choice tabulations took place Wednesday after no candidate won more than 50% of the first choice votes, with state elections officials livestreaming the event. Peltola was in the lead heading into the tabulations, followed by Palin and then Begich. (our emphasis)
Palin is a toxic candidate in Alaska, even among Republicans:
...A full 50% of those who voted for the Alaska Republican Party’s preferred candidate opted for a Democrat – or no one at all – over Palin.
Of those who voted for Begich, half ranked Palin, the only other Republican on the ballot in the special election, as their second choice. Another 29% ranked Peltola as their second choice. And about 20% did not list a second choice. (our emphasis)
The fundamentals won't change in November, since all three main candidates are on the ballot.
So, let's repeat the drill in November, Alaskans!
BONUS:
It is a GOOD DAY. pic.twitter.com/7IW4hsWZ2P
— Mary Peltola (@MaryPeltola) September 1, 2022
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