Since announcing that she’d like to be named Alaska’s next member of Congress, Sarah Palin has won the endorsements of political luminaries, such as former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and former President Donald Trump.
Her closest competitor at this point, businessman Nick Begich, announced more endorsements from influential Alaskans: Rhonda Boyles, the co-chair of the 2020 Alaskans for Don Young campaign, Barbara Haney of Fairbanks.
Boyles is the former mayor of Fairbanks and is the treasurer of the Alaska Republican Party. Haney is an economist with a Ph.D., and is active in Republican Party politics in Fairbanks. Also endorsing Begich is Fairbanks businessman Seth Church. Begich’s list of endorsements also include:
- Jesse Sumner – Matanuska-Susitna Borough Assembly Member
- Michael Welch – North Pole Mayor
- Glenda Ledford – Wasilla Mayor
- Charlie Pierce – Kenai Borough Mayor
- Mark Jensen – Petersburg Mayor
- Jubilee Underwood – Mat-Su School Board
- Shelley Hughes – Senate Majority Leader
- Mike Cronk – State House Member
- Dee McKee – Matanuska-Susitna Borough Assembly member
- Jamie Allard – Anchorage Assembly member
- Ken McCarty – State House member
- Kevin McCabe – State House member
- Rob Yundt – Matanuska-Susitna Borough Assembly member
- Crystal Kennedy – Anchorage Assembly
- Pamela Melin – Palmer Deputy Mayor
- Teea Winger – Kenai Council member
- Thomas Bergey – Mat-Su School Board
- Roger Holland – State Senator
- Tom McKay – State House member
- Pete Kelly – Former Alaska State Senate President
- Mike Prax – State House member
- Ron Gillham – State House member
- Jai Mahtani – Ketchikan City Council
- Bill Elam – Kenai Borough Assembly member
- Lynn Gattis – Former State House member
- George McKee – Former Matanuska-Susitna Borough Assembly member
- Mike Shower – State Senator
- Richard Derkevorkian – Kenai Borough Assembly member
- Clay Koplin – Cordova Mayor
- Sarah Vance – State House member
- Ben Carpenter – State House member
- Josh Verhagen – Mayor of Nenana
- Matthew Sampson – Fairbanks North Star Borough School District School Board
- Jimi Cash – Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly
- Charisse Millett – Former Alaska House Majority Leader
- Dan Kendall – Former Anchorage Assembly member
Nick has also received endorsements from:
- Associated Builders and Contractors, Alaska Chapter
- Alaska Outdoor Council
- Anchorage Young Republicans
- Eagle River District 22 Republicans
- Homer District 6 Republicans
- Interior District 36 Republicans
- Kenai Peninsula Republican Women of Alaska
- Republican Women of Fairbanks
- Valdez and Mat-Su District 29 Republicans
Others who are in the running for Congress include the Democrats’ favorite candidate, Al Gross, who announced last week he had several well-known Democrats endorsing him, including former Gov. Tony Knowles, Susan Knowles, former Lt. Gov. Fran Ulmer, former Rep. Beth Kerttula, former State Sen. Joe Paskvan, Dr. Steve Compton, former State Sen. Mike Szmanski, Chief Mike Williams, Dr. Gary Ferguson, former Sen. Hollis French, former Juneau mayor Sally Smith, Jo Michalski, Cathleen McLoulin, and others.
Democrat Chris Constant, who serves on the Anchorage Assembly, has yet to announce any endorsements and Republican Josh Revak has been silent on his, as his campaign struggles to get traction.
The special primary to become the temporary placeholder for Alaska’s only congressional seat is just 65 days away, on June 11. It’s a mail-in election for the special primary, which means that rather than the usual super-voter, the election will have many voters who don’t normally show up for primaries.
With 48 people on the special primary ballot, the rush to get in front of people will create a lot of noise on the airwaves. Palin called into the Mike Porcaro Show on Tuesday to chat about her interest in being elected to Congress. Porcaro and Palin kept the banter light.
As for Begich, he is hitting the road for a big Fairbanks fundraiser on Thursday that has nearly 150 co-hosts.
Alaskans need to hear from Nick….not see lists of supporters. No more popularity contests. Wait until we start seeing and hearing candidates state their platforms to start the laborious voting process. Let’s hear from them starting NOW. Not just notices of rallies, which most Alaskans can’t afford to fly to anyway
Nick will see this election through. As soon as Sarah gets up on stage and starts giving her incoherent speeches she will drop like a rock.
Sarah’s time has passed. I would have liked to see her run in the past. However, there is fresh blood racing ahead now. My generation is now ascending into political office and that’s just how it’s got to be.
Palin is still in her 50’s, so I wouldn’t write her off as being “old”. Nothing is “just how it’s got to be”, let’s hear from the candidates and let Alaskan’s vote based on the issues that are important to them. The last thing I want to do is vote for someone just because they are a certain age.
Age is what got us into this mess. It’s now an issue, like it or not. When Don You g took office he was in his 30s. Palin would finish her first two year term at 60 years old.
Like her or not, she’s a terrific speaker and an excellent ‘retail’ politician.
And Congress may be a better fit for her than executive leadership.
Nikki Hailey is a consummate political lady of the evening. She tosses everything and everyone under the bus at some point.
Further example of the “quality” of her supporters.
Has Bill Walker endorsed her yet? He owes her big.
Please, let there be a God. No Sarah! Being First Dude was a pain in the A$$. Being an Ex to the Dean’s Replacement will do me in. My snowmobile buds are already talking about a rally against her. People don’t know the Truth about Sarah Palin. For god’s sake I had to live with that woman!
I’m not a supporter of S.P. but… I’m calling B.S. on this post.??
LOL- Keep up, man. Todd and Sarah are divorced and in a custody battle. If you’re going to troll, do it right.
Todd, you are a hero! And a survivor! Any chance Dunleavy can get you your own day on the calander? Or, how about lowering the flags to half staff if Sarah gets into the Final Four?
We are expected to vote for Begich.
Why?
What has he done?
What record does Begich have working in Government or Elected Politics.
Like Sarah or Not. Qualifications alone Begich is a joke.
The Hate is so deep in the Big Red Alaskan machine it is willing to go all in on a no nothing newbie with the only thing going for him is a last name belonging to the most prominent Democratic family in Alaska History.
Why should I hate a proven Conservative who I know, for a trust Me Blue Blood born Democrat who I do not know. No thanks.
If you’re calling Palin a “proven conservative” you clearly paid no attention to how she actually governed. Big taxes, big spending, big government, and all the professional and personal scandals of any democrat.
You need to check out Nick a little better. He was raised by conservative Republican grandparents. Try to attend something where he is speaking and talk to him afterward. I feel bad that so many like you are going to be against him for his name only. I would hate to be judged by some of MY relatives.
You are mistaken in your assumption that Nick Begich III was “born Democrat”. He is in fact, a life-long Republican. Labeling him a “no nothing” (know nothing?) reflects only on your own level of knowledge about him. Many of us who have taken the time to go to his presentations and talk to him personally, believe that he is the best person for the job. Despite liking Sarah as a person, her “Government” and “Elected Politics” performance is something that shouldn’t be repeated for Alaska’s representation.
With all due respect, what the heck does almost ANYONE outside of Alaska really know about Sarah Palin? This nationwide ‘support’ for her is almost certainly based on nothing more than name recognition, and is just a mile wide and an inch deep.
Begich is going to have to do more than trot out a list of endorsements from esconced establishment politicians & their swampy organizations. Voters have seen the corruption & there is no unseeing that.
What are you even talking about? These people are the true grassroots conservatives of Alaska!
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