Polls opened this morning for Alaska’s second primary election under the open primary system adopted by voters in 2020, sending the top four candidates to the general election, regardless of political affiliation. This means that out of the more than four dozen offices up for election, just three races will see their fields narrowed tonight.
While it isn’t making for quite the nail-biter that primaries have in past years, it’s a valuable check-in that will give us a good look at where campaigns stand three months from the general election.
For many Republicans in crowded races, the election will be a critical benchmark for the viability of their campaigns. Some candidates have pledged to withdraw if they’re not the top-performing conservative Republican in the primary, a bid they hope will boost the chances of beating their Democratic, independent and moderate Republican opponents.
For more on the wonkiness of the primary election, find our past coverage here:
- Republicans are trying out some weird things in Alaska’s primary election
- Republicans run ‘fake Democrats’ to muddle Alaska primaries
- Alaska’s pre-primary election turnout is down from extraordinary 2022 and 2020 primaries
- Closed voting centers are just the latest barrier for voters in rural Alaska
- GOP candidates’ lackluster campaigning buoyed by Americans for Prosperity
Find your local polling place here.
The three races that will be narrowed:
In the race for U.S. House, incumbent Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola faces a primary that includes 11 other candidates. The two most serious candidates are Republican Nick Begich, who Peltola beat twice in 2022 on her way to Congress, and Republican Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom. There’s been a massive amount of jockeying between Begich and Dahlstrom, mirroring the infighting between Begich and Sarah Palin heading into the 2022 elections that some Republicans say helped boost Peltola.
Peltola, Begich, and Dahlstrom are all expected to advance to the general election, but the position between Begich and Dahlstrom will be critical for the future of their campaigns. Begich has said he would drop out if he finishes behind Dalhstrom. Dahlstrom, endorsed by former President Trump and the party-favored candidate, has not made a similar pledge.
Interestingly, outside progressive political groups have spent money attacking not just Begich and Dahlstrom but also fringe Republican candidate Gerald Heikes.
Two legislative races will narrow.
Five candidates are on the ballot in the race for Eagle River’s Senate seat. Moderate, labor-friendly Republican Sen. Kelly Merrick faces three Republicans and a Democrat (who has previously supported an extreme-right Republican). The race is critical for conservative Republicans if they hope to dismantle the Senate’s bipartisan coalition. Former Republican legislator Sharon Jackson put the stakes of the race into clear relief in an interview with the Alaska Beacon: “The difference between Kelly Merrick and I is I am loyal to the principles of the party. I am loyal to the people that depend on my conservative votes.”
Six candidates are vying for the country’s largest state House district. The massive House District 36 ranges from Fairbanks through the Interior Villages to the Canada border and down the Richardson Highway. The seat is held by Tok Republican Sen. Mike Cronk, who has bowed out of the race to pursue a state Senate seat. The open race has attracted four Republicans, a Libertarian and a Democrat. There, the Republicans represent a broad political spectrum, with Dana Mock of Delta Junction near the center and Pamela Goode at the far right, with Becky Schwanke and Cole Snodgrass between them. Libertarian James Fields describes himself as a “conservative libertarian” while Democrat Brandon “Putuuqti” Kowalski is more progressive, supporting education funding and labor.
Matt Acuña Buxton is a long-time political reporter who has written for the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner and The Midnight Sun political blog. He also authors the daily politics newsletter, The Alaska Memo, and can frequently be found live-tweeting public meetings on Twitter.
