Peltola over Palin!🗳
Saints, there has been significant political upset in Alaska. Former Republican Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin was clobbered in the special election for Alaska’s vacant House seat. Surprisingly, Democrat Mary Peltola, who is a part of the Yup’ik indigenous community, prevailed in the first ranked-choice voting election in the Last Frontier.👏🏾 👏🏾 👏🏾
Peltola, a former state legislator who will become Alaska’s first indigenous member of Congress, defeated a special election field that included Palin and another Republican, Nick Begich III. The Democrat finished first in the initial tally and then won enough second-choice votes from Begich’s supporters to see off Palin, who had former President Donald Trump’s endorsement and previously won a statewide campaign in 2006.
Palin was making her first run for elected office since resigning as Alaska’s governor in 2009, a year after she was nominated as John McCain’s vice-presidential running mate. Defeat for Palin closes the door on an immediate political comeback — but she is also on the ballot in Alaska’s regularly scheduled congressional election this fall, when the winner will earn a full two-year term.
Four finalists were named out of over 45 candidates that expressed interest in running for Alaska’s only Congressional district in the special election that took place only days ago.
Elections in which Democrats are winning are trending upward because of the Supreme Court’s ruling overturning Roe v. Wade this summer; Peltola’s platform revolved around advocating for abortion rights. She also focused on the issues of climate change and taking action to rectify the salmon shortage being experienced by residents in the western part of the state. Interestingly, Palin outspent Peltola 4-to-1. Notably, Peltola is joining a large (and potentially history-making) Native American delegation Congress that includes representatives from Hawaii, Kansas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma.
Representation matters, and we are overjoyed about Congresswoman Peltola’s surprise victory; Watch Night News will continue to keep you abreast of the ever-changing political landscape by delivering a Diaspora-inspired perspective on news, history, and culture to your inbox every night.