In one of the last decided races of 2024, Republican Nick Begich III has defeated Democratic U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola for Alaska’s lone House seat.
Begich is the conservative GOP member of a Democratic family. His grandfather Rep. Nick Begich, was on a plane that disappeared on an Anchorage-to-Juneau flight and was never found. An uncle, Mark Begich, served in the U.S. Senate.
Peltola, from Bethel, was the first Alaska Native to serve in Congress. She was elected in 2022 after GOP Rep. Don Young, who had served in Congress 48 years, died on a Seattle-bound flight. Begich had been preparing to challenge Young. A total of 49 candidates vied to succeed Young in the first test of Alaska’s ranked-choice voting system. Begich and ex-Gov. Sarah Palin split the Republican vote, allowing Peltola to win.
She got a lot done in two years. Likely her biggest deal was helping to persuade the Biden Administration to go against its environmental constituency and approve Willow, a big Conoco-sponsored oil development west of Prudoe Bay.
Peltola joined Washington Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp-Perez in a “blue dog caucus” of moderate Democrats. They signed on to bipartisan legislation and concentrated on issues of high priority back home.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, backed Peltola over Palin and this week paid her a tribute, writing: “You have represented Alaska well during your short tenure, and navigated this journey while [enduring] unimaginable personal tragedy with grace, humility, and determination.”
Peltola lost her husband Gene in a plane crash during her term. With its severe climate and vast distances, Alaska is a dangerous place to represent. Ex-U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens was also killed in a crash, as was Stevens’ first wife in a previous crash.
In victory, Begich gave a nod to his opponent. “I’d like to thank Congresswoman Mary Peltola for her service to the state and nation in what is an exceptionally challenging moment in our national history,” he said. Gov. Mike Dunleavy, however, used a thank-you statement to snarl at the Biden Administration for trying to “strangle our economy and undermine our Alaska way of life.”
The Biden Administration has sought to block oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, given backdoor approval by Congress during the first Trump Administration. A lease sale was held in final hours of Trump’s term, but drew only two bidders.
Major oil companies —except Conoco — have cooled to drilling in the Arctic. Oil prices are low. Protests have been high, witness land and water demonstrations when Shell Oil tried to use Seattle as base for exploratory drilling in the Chukchi Sea, northwest of Alaska.
Peltola is going out with grace. “Nick, I’m rooting for you,” she told Begich in a statement.
In an era of extreme polarization, it’s both hard — and politically risky — to be a moderate.
Joel;
Thank you for this story. Just one anecdote, but maybe we can all take a small sliver of hope from the candidates statements of respect toward each other. Currently (and given both parties IMHO) are run by their most extreme elements we’re at a “communication logjam.” To break this logjam the first step is mutual respect and from their real communication can follow. To accomplish this, we (as voters) should be willing to support the Mary Peltolas and Begichs of the country (regardless of party) who demonstrate this attitude.
Sidenote: Your recollection of the many elected officials who have died in service to Alaska is alarming – I’d forgotten how many there were. The risks are great – as the son of a private pilot (who grew up in Seattle) I was at ease flying in small aircraft – until the time I flew down the peninsula to my summer job on some god-forsaken island in the Aleutians in some typically rickety old plane from the Amelia Earhart era. All the more reason to admire the dedication of those who the state.
Recall too the death of Louisiana Congressman Hale Boggs. He was on the ill-fated flight with Congressman Nick Begich when their plane disappeared in the vast Alaskan wilderness in October of 1972. Boggs had served on the Warren Commission and had expressed doubts about the commission’s preposterous argument of a long assassin in the matter of JFK’s death in Dallas. He had also voiced criticism of FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover’s abuse of power. The massive search effort to locate the missing men and their plane concluded without any finding. Though one result was an official mandate to install a location device in all aerial vehicles in the U.S.