“While some may try to write this off as just how politics works now, ballot-stacking should have no place in our electoral process.” - Republican Alaska U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, in response to a New York Times report that Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Mary Peltola’s campaign recruited spoiler candidates.
(Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
By James Brooks and Claire Stremple
President Donald Trump on Wednesday called for Alaska Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Mary Peltola to be criminally charged and drop out or be removed from the ballot.
His comments followed the publication of a New York Times article revealing that her campaign worked with the national Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee to recruit spoiler candidates that could dilute votes for her principal opponent, incumbent Republican Sen. Dan S. Sullivan.
(Photo by Rachel Loehman/USGS Alaska Science Center)
By Yereth Rosen
In a tightly fought Alaska legislative race, voters in one of the state’s most rural districts will be choosing between familiar candidates in a contest unlikely to change the balance of power in the state House.
The leading candidates are current Rep. Nellie Jimmie of Toksook Bay and the incumbent she beat two years ago, former Rep. CJ McCormick of Bethel. Both are Democrats, so a victory by either is unlikely to change the balance of power in the legislature.
(Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)
By Corinne Smith
With affordability top of mind this election, Alaska candidates for governor offered varying perspectives on how their administrations would support working families and cap the ongoing tide of outmigration from the state, if elected.
Alaska has seen a steady exodus of people leaving the state. Last year, state demographers reported more people left than moved to Alaska — the 13th consecutive year of net outmigration.
(Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)
By James Brooks
One week before Election Day, turnout in Alaska’s general election is nearing 10%.
The number of early votes cast through Tuesday afternoon already exceeds the number of early votes cast before the last midterm election, in 2022.
(Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
COMMENTARY
By Larry Persily
A U.S. Senate seat in Alaska is worth the same as one from any other state when Democrats and Republicans try counting to 51, the number needed to control the chamber. All 100 senators get an equal vote, regardless of whether they represent states of far less than 1 million residents, such as Alaska and Wyoming, or more than 30 million, such as California and Texas.
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