On the Amy Demboski Show on 650 KENI, Nick Begich announced he is running for Congress, taking on Rep. Mary Peltola, who is a Democrat.
Begich called into the show toward the end of the two hours on Thursday, and talked about energy issues, congressional oversight, geopolitical concerns, and more before saying, “I’m in.”
Begich highlighted the opportunity that Alaskans still have in front of them, with 25% of America’s estimated undiscovered oil reserves and nearly every critical mineral on the critical minerals list.
Alaska is poised to answer the nation’s pivot away from Chinese production, he said.
Begich first filed for Congress in 2021. After Congressman Don Young died in 2022, Peltola won the seat in the first open-primary, ranked-choice voting scenario that Alaskans had experienced under the new voting system ushered in by Ballot Measure 2. Sarah Palin came in second, and Nick Begich was third.
No other candidate has yet announced to run against Peltola, who comes up for reelection next year and who has already started running.
Nick Begich is from a family known to many as Democrats, but he comes from the Republican side of the family and since high school he has been a Republican; he was a member of his high school’s Republican Club. His grandfather was a conservative Democrat, Congressman Nick Begich, who died in a plane crash over Prince William Sound in 1972. Since 1973, Alaska was represented by Republican Don Young until Peltola replaced him.
“Mary Peltola also voted against legislation that would support domestic energy production, Alaska’s largest economic driver. She’s even voted in favor of lower minimum sentences for criminals convicted of violent crimes such as carjacking and robbery!,” Begich said in a press release. Peltola votes with radical squad member Rep. Ilhan Omar 98% of the time, according to ProPublica.
Edit: Nick Begich’s website is now up with a new look.
This story will be updated.
