Only days after the results of the Alaska primary became apparent, and only hours after the Alaska Supreme Court upheld the repeal of ranked-choice voting (RCV), with Democrat Rep. Mary Peltola holding the lead ahead of Republicans Nick Begich III and Lieutenant Governor Nancy Dahlstrom, now Dahlstrom has withdrawn from the race. This leaves Nick Begich III to face incumbent Mary Peltola. It’s a whole different game now.
In what may be a surprise blow to Democrats’ chances of holding a key red state seat in the U.S. House, Alaska Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom announced Friday she is suspending her campaign for Congress.
Dahlstrom was in what was essentially a three-way race with incumbent Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola and Republican Nick Begich III, who comes from a prominent political family in The Last Frontier.
While Dahlstrom did not immediately endorse Begich, she suggested in comments announcing her withdrawal that her reason for running was to see Peltola defeated.
“I entered this race because Alaskans deserve better representation than what we have received from Mary Peltola in Washington,” Dahlstrom said in a statement.
At this time, the best thing I can do to see that goal realized is to withdraw my name from the general election ballot and end my campaign,” she said.
Dahlstrom added she has always “done what’s right for Alaska, and today is no different.”
Given that the Great Land is still stuck with ranked-choice voting, at least through this November, this is great news for the GOP, not just in Alaska but nationally, as it aids in Republicans’ hopes of retaining and expanding control of the House of Representatives. In presidential elections, Alaska has always been a reliably Republican state, at least since 1964; Alaska, in the second election since statehood, voted for Lyndon Johnson, the only year that Alaska has ever voted for a Democrat. Since the state is represented by one at-large House member, one would expect that the same results would be obtained.
Maybe now they will.
Previously on RedState: LIVE: Election Results – Alaska, Florida, and Wyoming
Ranked-Choice Repeal Upheld: Alaska Supreme Court Rules, Issue to Be on November Ballot
Nick Begich quickly released a statement:
Begich, whose uncle Mark was a Democratic senator and whose grandfather, Nick Sr., was Young’s Democratic predecessor before disappearing in a 1972 plane crash, said Dahlstrom ran a “strong campaign” and thanked her for her public service.
Now, Begich III’s odds of ending up representing Alaska in the House have just dramatically increased. (I interviewed Nick Begich III in January of 2024.)
Friday has seen two game-changers in as many hours, or very nearly; first, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. suspended his presidential campaign and threw his support behind the Republican nominee, former President Donald Trump. Now, Lieutenant Gov. Dahlstrom, with this move, has allowed Alaska Republicans to effectively side-step ranked-choice voting. Interesting times!
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