(The Center Square) – Alaska voters can only choose one U.S. House candidate in this month’s primary, but four will advance as the state conducts its second congressional election using ranked-choice voting.
Early voting began Monday for the 12 candidate race for the state’s sole congressional seat. The in-person primary is Aug. 20.
U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola, a Democrat, is vying to keep her seat in a heavily Republican state. She staved off challenges in 2022 from some of Alaska’s most prominent politicians, including former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and Nick Begich, whose grandfather held the seat until he disappeared in a plane crash in 1972.
Palin and Begich ran as Republicans and criticized the state’s ranked-choice voting system. Palin is not running again, but Begich faces another prominent Republican in the primary.
Republican Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom threw her hat into the race. She has the backing of former President Donald Trump. Begich is supported by the House Freedom Caucus, former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and several members of the Alaska Legislature.