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Stories about Alaska

Alaska U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski re-elected to a fourth term

By Juan Garcia de Paredes
In Federal
November 29, 2022 at 7:29 PM

Incumbent Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R) defeated Kelly Tshibaka (R), and Patricia Chesbro (D) in the general election for U.S. Senate in Alaska on November 8, 2022.

The three candidates advanced from the top-four primary held on August 16, 2022, the first time Alaska used such a system in a Senate race since voters there approved it in 2020. All candidates, regardless of party affiliation, ran in a single primary. Murkowski, Tshibaka, Chesbro, and Buzz Kelley (R) received the most votes and advanced to the general election, where the winner was decided using ranked-choice voting.

On September 12, 2022, Kelley withdrew from the race and endorsed Tshibaka. His name still appeared on the ballot.

Murkowski and Tshibaka led in media attention and together won more than 80% of the primary vote, with Murkowski receiving 45% and Tshibaka receiving 38.6%. In July, FiveThirtyEight’s Geoffrey Skelley and Zoha Qamar wrote, “the ranked choice voting process seems likely to set up a contest between the two leading Republicans, [Murkowski and Tshibaka]”.

Murkowski first took office in 2002. Lisa Murkowski’s father, Frank Murkowski (R), was a senator from 1981 to 2002, when he resigned to become governor of Alaska. After taking office, the elder Murkowski appointed his daughter to the U.S. Senate seat. After losing the Republican Senate primary in 2010, Lisa Murkowski successfully ran for re-election as a write-in candidate, becoming the second senator in U.S. history to do so. In 2016, Murkowski was re-elected after defeating second-place finisher Joe Miller (L) 44.4% to 29.2%.

Murkowski highlighted her seniority and said her willingness to work with Democrats helped steer federal funding to Alaska. Murkowski said, “This race is about who can deliver best for Alaska. Through my seniority and ability to work across party lines, I’m getting real results for Alaska.” Murkowski also highlighted her support for energy development in the state and said her vote for the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act had already brought billions to Alaska.

Tshibaka, a former commissioner at the Alaska Department of Administration, accused Murkowski of not using her seniority to block more of President Joe Biden’s (D) agenda. Tshibaka said, “Lisa Murkowski has enabled Biden’s agenda by casting the tie-breaking deciding vote to advance his anti-energy Interior Secretary nominee and confirming over 90% of his radical nominees.” Tshibaka also focused on economic issues and said she supports a Parental Bill of Rights that would give parents “a right to be fully informed and to approve of any sex education, gender identification, or race theory material being presented or discussed with their child.”

In February 2021, Murkowski voted to convict then-President Donald Trump (R) after the U.S. House impeached him over the events surrounding the January 6 breach of the Capitol. In June 2021, Trump endorsed Tshibaka. The Republican Party of Alaska also endorsed Tshibaka.

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R) and fellow Alaska U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R) endorsed Murkowski. Murkowski also had the endorsements of several Democratic elected officials, including Alaska’s At-Large U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola (D), Sen. Joe Manchin (D) and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D).

Chesbro, a retired educator, highlighted her support for renewable energy. In her responses to Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey, Chesbro said, “We cannot turn off the spigot on fossil fuels. We can invest in our future through developing our renewable resources to create the energy on which we depend.” Chesbro also focused on her support for abortion rights.

In addition to the candidates on the ballot, write-in candidates included Joe Stephens (Independent), Ted Gianoutsos (Nonpartisan), Shoshana Gungurstein (Nonpartisan), and Sid Hill (Nonpartisan).

Democrats retained their majority in the U.S. Senate in 2022. As of November 28, Democrats had won 50 seats to Republicans’ 49, with the Senate election in Georgia headed to a December 6 runoff.



Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy re-elected

By Dave Beaudoin
In 2022 elections
November 28, 2022 at 4:29 PM

Incumbent Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy defeated Les Gara (D), Charlie Pierce (R), and Bill Walker (I) in the general election for governor of Alaska. The four candidates advanced from the top-four primary on Aug. 16. Dunleavy’s victory means that Alaska retains its status as a Republican triplex.

The Alaska Division of Elections released unofficial results on Nov. 23 showing Dunleavy winning 50.3% of the first-choice votes, enough to win re-election outright. Nancy Dahlstrom (R) received a majority of first-choice votes and was elected Lt. Governor.

Dunleavy was first elected in 2018, succeeding Walker, who had served as governor since 2014. The Alaska Republican Party endorsed Dunleavy and Pierce. Former President Donald Trump (R) endorsed Dunleavy. The Alaska Democratic Party and Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates backed Gara. Walker received endorsements from several Democratic state legislators and the state AFL-CIO.

This was the first gubernatorial election in Alaska to use a top-four primary and ranked-choice voting for the general election, a system voters approved in 2020. The 2020 measure established open top-four primaries for state executive, state legislative, and congressional offices and ranked-choice voting for general elections, including presidential elections. Voters could rank the four candidates that advanced from the primary and if a candidate receives a simple majority of the vote, he or she is declared the winner. If no candidate wins a simple majority, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated. People who voted for that candidate as their first choice have their votes redistributed to their second choice.

Additional reading:

https://ballotpedia.org/Alaska_gubernatorial_and_lieutenant_gubernatorial_election,_2022_(August_16_top-four_primary)

https://ballotpedia.org/Alaska_Ballot_Measure_2,_Top-Four_Ranked-Choice_Voting_and_Campaign_Finance_Laws_Initiative_(2020)



Previewing Alaska’s second U.S. House election of 2022

By Amee LaTour
In 2022 elections, Federal
October 13, 2022 at 11:57 AM

Incumbent Rep. Mary Peltola (D), Nicholas Begich III (R), Sarah Palin (R), and Chris Bye (L) are running for Alaska’s at-large congressional district on Nov. 8, 2022. Peltola, Begich, Palin, and Tara Sweeney (R) advanced from the Aug. 16, 2022, top-four primary. Sweeney withdrew, meaning Bye, the fifth-place finisher, advanced.

Peltola won the special general election also held on August 16. Former Rep. Don Young (R), who’d held office since 1973, died in March 2022. Peltola, Begich, and Palin ran in the special election, which used ranked-choice voting (RCV). The regular election will also use RCV.

Peltola (D) served in the Alaska House of Representatives from 1999 to 2009 and was interim executive director of the Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission ahead of the special election. Peltola said, “To summarize our campaign in one sentence: I’m pro-jobs, pro-choice, pro-fish, and pro-family.” Peltola said she represents all Alaskans and is working to advance bills Young supported.

Begich (R) founded a technology development company and co-founded a company that invests in startups. He co-chaired the Alaska Republican Party Finance Committee and Young’s 2020 re-election campaign. Begich said he’d make “the business case for Alaska” and that he is equipped to help improve the economy by cutting spending and controlling taxes.

Palin (R) served as governor of Alaska from 2006 to 2009 and was John McCain’s (R) vice presidential running mate in 2008. Palin is campaigning on her previous experience in office and says she has the “grit to match anti-Alaskans like AOC, Pelosi, and Biden.”

Bye (L), an Army veteran and fishing guide, said in his response to Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey, “I am running because both primary political parties have run this nation into the ground. They both have forsaken Freedom and Liberty by transitioning away from governance and towards activism and corporate protectionism.”

Begich and Palin have asked their supporters to rank themselves first and the other Republican candidate second on their ballots, saying the state needs a Republican U.S. representative.

Begich and Palin have also criticized one another. Begich criticized Palin’s TV appearances and said Alaska voters are “looking for someone who’s serious about the state.”

Palin called Begich “Negative Nick” regarding his campaign ads opposing her and said that “the people of Alaska are disgusted by this negative campaigning.”

In the August special election, Peltola received 40% of the vote to Palin’s 31% and Begich’s 29% on the first round of tallying. After votes from those who chose Begich as their first choice were redistributed, Peltola defeated Palin 51.5% to 48.5%.

The 2022 elections are the first to use the state’s election system that voters approved via ballot measure in 2020, involving top-four primaries and RCV general elections.

The outcome of this race will affect the partisan balance of the U.S. House of Representatives in the 118th Congress. All 435 House districts are up for election. As of Oct. 10, Democrats held a 220-212 majority in the U.S. House with three vacancies. Republicans need to gain a net of five districts to win a majority in the chamber.

Donald Trump (R) defeated Joe Biden (D) in Alaska 53.1% to 43% in the 2020 presidential election.

Additional reading:



Previewing Alaska’s ranked-choice gubernatorial election

By Amee LaTour
In 2022 elections, State
September 12, 2022 at 7:14 PM

Incumbent Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R), Les Gara (D), Charlie Pierce (R), and Bill Walker (I) are running for governor of Alaska on Nov. 8, 2022. They advanced from the top-four primary on Aug. 16, 2022.

Dunleavy was first elected in 2018, succeeding Walker, who had served as governor since 2014. Walker withdrew from the 2018 gubernatorial race in October and endorsed Democrat Mark Begich, saying, “Alaskans deserve a competitive race, and Alaskans deserve a choice other than Mike Dunleavy.” Gara served in the Alaska House of Representatives from 2003 to 2018. Pierce has served as mayor of Kenai Peninsula Borough since 2017.

Permanent Fund dividends (PFD) are a major issue in the race. The state invests oil and gas revenues and distributes a portion of the investment earnings to residents annually. The statutory formula for calculating the dividend was last followed in 2015. Starting in 2016, a portion each year went toward funding government services.

Dunleavy says he’s working to guarantee the PFD in the state constitution and is calling for a 50-50 split between payments to residents and funds for government services.

Gara said Dunleavy changed his promises regarding the PFD. Gara said he pushed in the state House to return to the statutory formula with revenue gained from ending what he called an “oil tax giveaway.”

Pierce said he would restore the statutory funding formula.

Walker said Dunleavy had made unrealistic promises regarding the PFD. Walker said he would support “the largest dividend the state can afford but not at the expense of high taxes and weakened government services such as education and public safety.”

This is the first gubernatorial election in Alaska to use top-four primaries and ranked-choice voting for the general election, a system voters voters approved in 2020.

A state government trifecta refers to a situation where one party controls a state’s governorship and majorities in both chambers of the state legislature. Alaska has a divided government, with a Republican governor and Republican numerical majorities in both chambers of the legislature but a power-sharing agreement in the state House that splits control between parties.

As of Sept. 9, there were 23 Republican trifectas, 14 Democratic trifectas, and 13 divided governments where neither party holds trifecta control.

This is one of 36 gubernatorial elections taking place in 2022. The governor serves as a state’s top executive official and is the only executive office that is elected in all 50 states. There are currently 28 Republican governors and 22 Democratic governors. Click here for an overview of all 36 gubernatorial elections taking place in 2022.




Three Republicans and one Democrat are running in ranked-choice voting election for U.S. Senate in Alaska

By Juan Garcia de Paredes
In 2022 elections, Federal
September 7, 2022 at 11:42 AM

Incumbent Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R), Kelly Tshibaka (R), Patricia Chesbro (D), and Buzz Kelley (R) are running for a seat in the U.S. Senate from Alaska on November 8, 2022.

The four candidates advanced from the top-four primary held on August 16, 2022, the first time Alaska used such a system in a Senate race since voters there approved it in 2020. All candidates, regardless of party affiliation, ran in a single primary. Murkowski, Tshibaka, Chesbro, and Kelley received the most votes and advanced to the general election, where the winner will be decided using ranked-choice voting.

Murkowski and Tshibaka have led in media attention and together received more than 80% of the primary vote, with Murkowski receiving 45% and Tshibaka receiving 38.6%. FiveThirtyEight’s Geoffrey Skelley and Zoha Qamar wrote, “the ranked choice voting process seems likely to set up a contest between the two leading Republicans, [Murkowski and Tshibaka].”

Murkowski first took office in 2002. Lisa Murkowski’s father, Frank Murkowski (R), was a senator from 1981 to 2002, when he resigned to become governor of Alaska. After taking office, the elder Murkowski appointed his daughter to the U.S. Senate seat. In 2010, after losing the Republican nomination, Lisa Murkowski successfully ran for re-election as a write-in candidate, only the second senator in U.S. history to do so. In 2016, Murkowski was re-elected with 44.4% of the vote, defeating second-place finisher Joe Miller (L) by 15.2 percentage points.

Murkowski has highlighted her seniority and said her willingness to work with Democrats has helped steer federal funding to Alaska. Murkowski said, “This race is about who can deliver best for Alaska. Through my seniority and ability to work across party lines, I’m getting real results for Alaska.” Murkowski has also highlighted her support for energy development in the state and said her vote for the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act has already brought billions to Alaska.

Tshibaka, a former commissioner at the Alaska Department of Administration, has accused Murkowski of not using her seniority to block more of President Joe Biden’s (D) agenda. Tshibaka said, “Lisa Murkowski has enabled Biden’s agenda by casting the tie-breaking deciding vote to advance his anti-energy Interior Secretary nominee and confirming over 90% of his radical nominees.” Tshibaka has also focused on economic issues and said she supports a Parental Bill of Rights that would give parents “a right to be fully informed and to approve of any sex education, gender identification, or race theory material being presented or discussed with their child.”

In February 2021, Murkowski voted to convict then-President Donald Trump (R) after the U.S. House impeached him over the events surrounding the January 6 breach of the Capitol. In June 2021, Trump endorsed Tshibaka. The Republican Party of Alaska also endorsed Tshibaka.

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R) and fellow Alaska U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R) endorsed Murkowski. Murkowski also has the endorsements of several Democratic elected officials, including Sens. Joe Manchin (D) and Kyrsten Sinema (D).

Chesbro, a retired educator who serves on the Matanuska-Susitna Borough Planning Commission, has highlighted her support for renewable energy. In her responses to Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey, Chesbro said, “We cannot turn off the spigot on fossil fuels. We can invest in our future through developing our renewable resources to create the energy on which we depend” Chesbro has also focused on her support for abortion rights.

Kelley, a retired mechanic, said he supports lowering government spending and said the United States should become energy independent through oil exploration and solar energy development. Kelley also said he supports unions. “Union jobs provide a good income. Those union hands then go out into their communities and spend that money. That is how you have an economy folks,” Kelley said. 

The outcome of this race will affect the partisan balance of the U.S. Senate. Thirty-five of 100 seats are up for election, including one special election. Democrats have an effective majority, with the chamber split 50-50 and Vice President Kamala Harris (D) having the tie-breaking vote. Fourteen seats held by Democrats and 21 seats held by Republicans are up for election in 2022.



Peltola, Palin, Begich, and Bye advance from Alaska U.S. House primary

By Amee LaTour
In 2022 elections, Federal
September 6, 2022 at 8:19 PM

Mary Peltola (D), Sarah Palin (R), Nicholas Begich III (R), and Chris Bye (L) advanced from the top-four primary election for U.S. House in Alaska. Peltola received 37%, followed by Palin with 30% and Begich with 26%. Tara Sweeney (R) finished fourth with 4% but withdrew from the race. Since it was more than 64 days before the general election, the fifth-place finisher, Bye, advanced with 0.6% of the vote. 

The primary was held Aug. 16, the same day as a special election for the same office. Peltola won the ranked-choice voting special election against Palin and Begich, meaning she’ll be the incumbent heading into the regular general election. Peltola had finished fourth in the top-four special primary behind Palin, Begich, and Al Gross (I). Gross, the third-place finisher, withdrew from the special election. 

Former Rep. Don Young (R) died in March. Young had been in office since 1973. 

Additional reading:



Mary Peltola (D) wins special U.S. House election in Alaska

By Amee LaTour
In 2022 elections
September 1, 2022 at 6:26 PM

Mary Peltola (D) won the Aug. 16 special U.S. House election in Alaska, according to results released Aug. 31. In the final round of unofficial ranked-choice voting tabulation, Peltola had 51.5% of the vote to Sarah Palin’s (R) 48.5%. This election fills the term ending Jan. 3, 2023.

Before ranked-choice tabulation began, Peltola had 40% of first-choice votes, followed by Palin with 31% and Nick Begich III (R) with 28%. Write-in candidates received a combined 1.6% of the vote.

Write-in candidates were eliminated first as a batch. Then Begich was eliminated. The votes of those who chose eliminated candidates as first choices were redistributed to the voters’ second-choice candidates if they chose such.

Peltola will be Alaska’s first Democratic U.S. representative since Nick Begich Sr.—Nick Begich III’s grandfather. Begich Sr.’s plane went missing while he was in office in 1972. Don Young (R) won a special election to succeed Begich. Young served until his death in March of this year.

Peltola, Palin, and Begich will meet again in the regularly scheduled general election for U.S. House on Nov. 8. That election will also use ranked-choice voting.

Alaska holds top-four primaries. Independent Al Gross also advanced from the special primary election in June having placed third, but Gross withdrew from the race.

As of September 2022, 14 special elections have been held for the 117th Congress, and there are three upcoming special elections scheduled to take place.

Additional reading:



Murkowski, Tshibaka, Chesbro, and Kelley advance to the general election in Alaska’s U.S. Senate race

By Juan Garcia de Paredes
In 2022 elections, Federal
August 29, 2022 at 8:03 PM

Nineteen candidates ran in the top-four Senate primary in Alaska on August 16, 2022. Incumbent Lisa Murkowski (R), Kelly Tshibaka (R), Patricia Chesbro (D), and Buzz Kelley (R) advanced to the general election.

This was the first time the top-four primary was used in a Senate race since Alaska voters approved the concept in 2020. Under this system, all candidates, regardless of party affiliation, run in a single primary election. The four candidates who receive the most votes advance to the general election, where the winner is decided using ranked-choice voting.

The 19 candidates included eight Republicans, three Democrats, one Libertarian, five independents, and two Alaskan Independence Party candidates.

FiveThirtyEight’s Nate Silver wrote it was likely at least two Republican candidates and a Democratic one would advance to the general election.

Murkowski, the incumbent since 2002, had the endorsements of U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R), fellow Alaska U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R), and Sens. Joe Manchin (D) and Kyrsten Sinema (D).

Tshibaka, a former commissioner at the Alaska Department of Administration had the endorsements of former President Donald Trump (R) and the Alaska Republican Party.

Chesbro is an educator from Palmer, and Kelley is a retired mechanic from Wasilla.

Three election forecasters rate the general election Solid or Safe Republican.

Murkowski’s father, Frank Murkowski (R), was Senator from 1980 to 2002, when he resigned to become governor of Alaska. After taking office, the elder Murkowski appointed his daughter to the U.S. Senate seat. In 2010, after losing the Republican nomination, Lisa Murkowski successfully ran for re-election as a write-in candidate. As of 2022, she was one of two U.S. Senators, alongside South Carolina’s Strom Thurmond in 1954, to have been elected as a write-in candidate.



Preliminary results from Alaska’s top-four U.S. House primary

By Amee LaTour
In 2022 elections, Federal
August 18, 2022 at 12:40 PM

A top-four primary took place on Aug. 16 in Alaska’s At-Large Congressional District to determine which four candidates will run in the general election on Nov. 8. As of 1:00 a.m. ET on Aug. 17, with 61% of results reported, Mary Peltola (D) led with 34.5% of the vote, followed by Sarah Palin (R) with 32.2%, Nicholas Begich (R) with 27.1%, and Tara Sweeney (R) with 3.2%.

All candidates appeared on the same ballot with their affiliations listed next to their names. The general election will use ranked-choice voting.

Former Rep. Don Young (R) died in March 2022. The regularly scheduled election is one of two elections, alongside a special election, for Alaska’s at-large House district in 2022.

Twenty-two candidates were on the regular primary ballot: nine undeclared or nonpartisan candidates, nine Republicans, one Democrat, and three minor party candidates.

Fifteen of the candidates also ran in the special primary election to fill the remainder of Young’s term. Begich (R), Palin (R), and Peltola (D) advanced from the June 11 special primary. Al Gross (I) also advanced but withdrew from the race.

Additional reading:



Preliminary results from Alaska’s special U.S. House election

By Amee LaTour
In 2022 elections, Federal
August 18, 2022 at 12:38 PM

A special election to fill Alaska’s At-Large Congressional District in the U.S. House was held on Aug. 16. Sarah Palin (R), Nicholas Begich III (R), and Mary Peltola (D) ran. Al Gross (I) also advanced from the June 11 top-four primary, but he withdrew from the race on June 20.

This election will use ranked-choice voting. Alaska Beacon reported that election officials will not begin ranked-choice tabulation until at least Aug. 31, the deadline for ballots to arrive and be counted in the special election. As of 1:00 a.m. ET on August 17, Mary Peltola (D) had 37.2% of first-choice votes, followed by Sarah Palin (R) with 32.8% and Nicholas Begich (R) with 28.7%.

Former Rep. Don Young (R) died in March.

Begich founded a technology development company and co-founded a company that invests in startups. He co-chaired the Alaska Republican Party Finance Committee and Young’s 2020 re-election campaign. Begich entered the regular U.S. House primary election before Young’s death. Begich campaigned on his business background, saying he could “make the business case for Alaska effectively down in D.C.”

Palin served as governor of Alaska from 2006 to 2009 and was John McCain’s (R) vice presidential running mate in 2008. Palin campaigned on her record as governor, which she said included taking “meaningful steps toward energy independence, passing bipartisan ethics reform, and facilitating the biggest private sector infrastructure project in U.S. history.” Palin said after Young’s death, “As I’ve watched the far left destroy the country, I knew I had to step up and join the fight.”

Peltola served in the Alaska House of Representatives from 1999 to 2009 and was interim executive director of the Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission as of the special election. Peltola said she was a “[p]roven legislative leader and coalition builder.” She emphasized her background in fishing and made marine resource management a key campaign issue. Peltola also highlighted that she is an Alaska Native woman and said, “Our elected officials have not been representative of our state.”

In 2020, voters in Alaska passed Ballot Measure 2 in a 50.55%-49.45% vote. The measure established open top-four primaries for state executive, state legislative, and congressional offices and ranked-choice voting for general elections.

In addition to the special election, Alaska is holding a separate regularly scheduled election for the U.S. House.

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