The Alaska Republican grassroots base is activated this election cycle.
Two years ago, they were told to rank the red, but this time, they’ve seen the problem with that and they’re sending the message to those running for office in the primary: “Drop if you’re not on top” after the primary. The drop deadline is Sept. 2 for the general election.
District 34, the Eielson area of Fairbanks, met and passed the latest resolution that states that Republican candidates who are not the highest vote getters among the GOP candidates should leave the race and support the leading candidate for the November ballot, thus creating a stronger united force.
Only congressional candidate Nick Begich has already made that commitment among the four Republicans running for Congress. Nancy Dahlstrom has refused to commit, as has Gerald Heikes and Matthew Salisbury.
Four other districts have issues similar resolutions, knowing that they are speaking to Dahlstrom, Heikes, and Salisbury. The districts issuing challenges are 6, 13, 26, 29, and 34.
“In an effort to support the will of the voting populace in the State of Alaska, the Republican District Committee members of House District 34-Q of the Alaskan Republican Party (ARP) wish to address all registered Republican candidates for U.S. Congress and/or State offices, as well as our fellow District Committees within the Alaskan Republican Party.
“We urge all Republican candidates who are opposed by at least one other Republican candidate for the same U.S. Congress and/or State office to publicly declare their willingness to withdraw from the General Election if the results of the primary election favor another Republican candidate. Let it be recognized that failing to withdraw despite unfavorable primary election results risks diluting the collective focus and resources of Republican District Committees,” the district resolution reads. The committee asked all other district committees to issue similar calls for action.
Alaska’s primary election ends at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 20.
Sadly this shows the democratic plants, but it won’t make a difference to the majority of uninformed balloters who will vote for whoever Taylor Swift tells them to.
And what plants would those be? Marijuana?
Drop if you’re not on top has a certain amount of appeal for party insiders bent on anointing a perceived preferred candidate. But it doesn’t alter the actual electoral landscape in which we are going to vote in the general election.
Nick Begich is a candidate with a great chance to garner more votes than Nancy Dahlstrom in the open primary for a bunch of reasons, many of them obvious. He’s also a hardworking candidate who has credibly articulated genuinely conservative values and beliefs.
But if Dahlstrom doesn’t drop out, (even if she trails NB III by a pile of votes), it will still require the electorate to rank the red if you want different representation in Congress.
Republicans couldn’t get their heads around RCV last election cycle and bungled their chance to elect an adult candidate. Why anyone thought fooling around with Arizona Sarah and guys like Jerry Ward made sense is a fascinating question but the results of an infatuation with a flakey candidate are obvious.
A return to reality based thinking would benefit Alaska. Could we have some, please?