Alaska Democrat Mary Peltola is heading to Congress after winning a special, ranked choice election to finish the remainder of the late GOP Rep. Don Young’s term, beating two Republicans and a collection of write-in candidates.
In the final balloting, Peltola had 51.5 percent to 48.5 percent for Republican Sarah Palin, the state’s former governor and a controversial candidate who had the endorsement of former President Donald Trump.
Peltola, a former member of the state House and interim executive director of the Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, won the most votes in the initial count, as Republicans Palin and Nick Begich III split their party’s voters. She will be the first Alaska Native to serve in Congress.
