Mounting pressure from across the state is unavoidable the day after the Alaska Primary Election: The grassroots is building into a rebellion against Nancy Dahlstrom, the state’s lieutenant governor, who came in a distant third in the race for Congress.
On social media, people are now tagging Gov. Mike Dunleavy with messages to stop endorsing Dahlstrom for Congress and to get on board with Nick Begich.
All the women’s Republican clubs but one endorse Nick Begich. The one that doesn’t is the one Dahlstrom is a member of. Even they, members of her own club, have not endorsed Dahlstrom.
All Alaska Young Republican Clubs endorse Nick Begich.
40% of the Republican District committees leaders have endorsed Nick Begich.
No grassroots entity in Alaska has endorsed Dahlstrom, but many are calling for her to drop out of the race. And they say the governor is not listening to them.
One activist in Juneau said that he felt Dahlstrom lied when she said that if she was not the prevailing Republican in the race for Congress, she would sit down with Begich after the primary and have a conversation about the general election.
But on election night, before all the results were even in, Dahlstrom put out a press statement saying she would not drop. Now, she is 30 points behind the Democrat incumbent, Rep. Mary Peltola, and the growing resentment around Alaska is palpable.
An activist in Kenai noted: “Nancy has a choice: She can drop out and begin to build her candidacy for governor, or she can stay in the race and destroy her entire political future.”
One thing appears clear from Fairbanks to Ketchikan: There is a grassroots rebellion underway and it is beginning to impact how Republicans feel about their Gov. Mike Dunleavy, who has endorsed Dahlstrom. He has separated himself from the base of conservatives who elected him.
Even the National Republican Congressional Committee has appeared to back away from Dahlstrom, not even mentioning her name in its Election Night statement.
Must Read Alaska has learned that there is an unprecedented level of activity at the Republican district level on Wednesday, as activists take their next steps to try to get Dahlstrom to drop before the Sept. 2 deadline. Resolutions are being passed, letters are being written, and meetings are being held, as Republicans do not want to repeat what happened in 2022, when the leading Republicans ended up splitting the energy, resources, and enthusiasm for one candidate going into the general.
