Much like the Mendenhall Glacier building up pressure, the chorus of people calling for Nancy Dahlstrom to drop from the congressional race is growing.
Congressman Byron Donalds of Florida, one of the closest people to President Donald Trump, posted a message today aimed directly at Nancy Dahlstrom, who came in third in the recent Alaska primary race for Congress:
“Congrats to my friend @NickforAlaska on his decisive victory,” Donalds wrote of the top-placing Republican in the open primary. “Alaska is a red state and Nick will win with a united GOP behind him.:
“Nancy Dahlstrom ran a strong race, but she should drop out so we can beat radical Democrat Mary Peltola.”
Donalds is one of several who support Donald Trump and also support Nick Begich, making his second try for Congress. Vivek Ramaswamy, the House Freedom Caucus, and 40% of Alaska’s Republican district committees endorse Begich, as do six of the seven Republican women’s clubs and all of the Young Republican clubs in Alaska.
Dahlstrom has no significant endorsements in Alaska except Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s.
Also on Thursday afternoon, a petition was started to demand that Dahlstrom depart the race. Started by an entity calling itself Citizens Demanding Accountability, the petition can be found here.
The petition reads:
We, the undersigned citizens of Alaska, are deeply concerned about the recent actions of Lieutenant Governor Dahlstrom, which we believe undermine the responsibilities and commitments she made when taking her oath of office on December 5, 2022. This oath requires her to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Alaska” and to “faithfully discharge her duties as Lieutenant Governor to the best of her ability.”
Despite losing the Primary Election in her bid for a seat in Congress, Lieutenant Governor Dahlstrom continues to pursue this course, even as the Republican Party faces potential significant losses. We believe these actions are in direct conflict with the principles and duties outlined in her oath.
As Alaskans, we need solid, focused leadership, especially with the possibility of losing our Governor to Washington, D.C., in November. The state cannot afford to have its second-in-command distracted by campaign activities at such a critical time. Lieutenant Governor Dahlstrom’s primary responsibility is to act in the Governor’s absence and to oversee the electoral process in our state. Given the challenges and concerns surrounding our election system, it is imperative that her focus remains on ensuring that Alaska’s elections are conducted legally and efficiently.
We call upon Lieutenant Governor Dahlstrom to withdraw from her Congressional campaign and prioritize the leadership and governance of Alaska during this pivotal time. As the second-in-command of our state, we urge her to honor her commitment to “support and defend” and to put the needs of Alaskans above personal ambitions.
We, the undersigned, believe that transparency, accountability, and dedication to duty are fundamental to effective governance, and we ask Lieutenant Governor Dahlstrom to reaffirm her commitment to these values by stepping back from her campaign and focusing on her current responsibilities to the people of Alaska.
