Alaska’s Native corporations are getting behind one of the 48 candidates for Congress in Alaska’s election that will replace the late Congressman Don Young. The ANCSA Association board of directors has voted to endorse Tara Sweeney for Alaska’s lone congressional seat.
“The decision recognizes the historic opportunity before Alaskans to elect the state’s first Alaska Native and female congressperson,” the board said in a statement. “It is rare for ARA to support a political candidate but a candidate as experienced and qualified as Tara Katuk Sweeney is also rare,” said ARA President Kiln Reitmeier. “As our nation‘s first Alaska Native Assistant Secretary of Indian Tara fought tirelessly from our nation’s capital in Washington D.C. to help create jobs and economic opportunity for all Alaskans, including those in rural communities.”
Sweeney is former co-chair of Alaska Federation of Natives and was Vice President for external affairs for Arctic Slope Regional Corporation, a Native corporation created by the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. Board members include Sophie Minich of CIRI, Gail Schubert of Bering Straits Native Corporation, Sauna Hegna of Koniag, Anthony Mallott of Sealaska, Skoey Vergan of Aleut Native Corporation, Michelle Anderson of Ahtna, Rex Rock, Sr. of ASRC, Jason Metrokin of Bristol Bay Native Corporation, Andrew Guy of Calista, and Sheri Buretta of Chugach.
Sweeney is one of dozens who will be on the June 11 special election primary ballot, part of the process of picking the temporary member of Congress, who will be elected in the special general election in August and who would serve until January. Almost simultaneously, an election for the permanent seat will be taking place, starting Aug. 16 with a primary and ending in November with the general election.
Ironically, it was Congressman Nick Begich who pushed ANCSA through in Congress when he served as Alaska’s lone representative in 1971. The bill extinguished Alaska Native aboriginal claims, and was signed by President Nixon that year, ushering the way for Native corporations and the development of Alaska’s oil on the North Slope. His grandson, Nick Begich III, is now running for Congress.
