Sarah Palin loses election to represent Alaska in Congress
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has been defeated in the special election to represent Alaska in the US Congress.
The winner, Mary Peltola, a Democrat, will be the first Alaskan Native to serve as a lawmaker in Washington for the state.
The race was to fill a vacancy left after the former officeholder died. The seat is up for grabs again in November.
Ms Palin, 58, rose to prominence as a vice-presidential candidate in 2008. She has since become a key Trump ally.
Ms Peltola, 49, has flipped a formerly Republican seat in a state that ex-President Donald Trump won by 10 points in 2020.
The former state lawmaker advocated for abortion access, climate action and the state's salmon populations.
Ms Palin, who was endorsed by Mr Trump, outspent her Democratic rival by four to one in the run-up to the 16 August election, according to Politico.
Ms Peltola ran against two Republicans in the state's first ranked-choice election, a system that was criticised by Ms Palin during the race as confusing and unfair.
The Democrat, who is Yup'ik and grew up in a rural part of Alaska, will also become the first woman to hold the seat.
It had previously been held for nearly five decades by the late Republican Don Young.
Ms Palin served as the vice-presidential running mate to Arizona Senator John McCain in 2008, who went on to become a vocal Republican critic of Mr Trump.
She was also governor of Alaska between 2006-09.
While political analysts will search for clues in this special election as to how both main parties may fare in the US midterm elections this November, it is not clear to what degree Ms Palin's big personality was a factor in the outcome.
Her brand of combative conservatism and anti-establishment appeal led many to consider her as the political precursor to Mr Trump.
But some voters questioned her commitment to the state, citing her resignation as governor only partway through her term.
She went on to star on reality TV shows, and launched a high-profile libel lawsuit against the New York Times, which she lost earlier this year.
Ms Peltola served in the statehouse for a decade - and overlapped with Ms Palin during her time there.
The two say they bonded in the Capitol since they were both pregnant at the time.
When Ms Palin left Juneau to hit the campaign trail with McCain, she gave her backyard trampoline to Ms Peltola.
According toAlaska Public Media, Ms Palin - normally a fierce critic of Democrats - recently referred to her rival as a "sweetheart".
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It appears the other 8 Muses are telling us to ignore Clio.
Congrats to Mary Peltola, a Yup'ik Alaskan .
Congratulations Mary Peltola the first Alaska Native elected to the US House of Representatives.
NA's sure have been trendy during this administration, and that's a good thing for america.
That's a GREAT thing for America.
Alaska makes a wise decision. Well done! And another qualified native American gets into government!
Thanks for adding that!
51% of them, anyway.
True enough.
But...but...Palin can see Russia from her front porch!!!
watching that political has been bible spice get defeated is the frosting on the cake.
Excellent result!
Mary Peltola's victory shows that Alaskans have their eyes on the future.
Palin's loss shows that Alaskans aren't insane.
Red wave? Ebb tide.
Mary Peltola interviewed on Alaska Landmine Radio:
Ms Peltola called Palin a sweetheart? Obviously she's a nice woman
I'm very happy for her victory
'Really?!' Bewildered Sarah Palin implodes after losing congressional race to a Democrat
The perfect example of a moosh noosh.
Stupid woman. She was governor of the state for how many years and still doesn't know how Alaska handles elections?
She needs to go moose hunting...without a weapon
She never finished her term a governor of Alaska. One can now see why.
This was the first ranked choice vote election in Alaska and why it took so long to declare a winner.
She still should have learned something!
Wait...I forgot who I was talking about
Ok...I guess I should cut the whiny entitled snowflake a break. She can't count to 3...even using all her toes
the old moose muffin doesn't seem to be holding up too well.
And quit halfway through her term.
Why would they elect the bitch again?
OMG!!!
But what a great idea for a Halloween costume!
It’s not the fact that Palin was defeated that is so enlightening, it’s the manner in which she was defeated. Alaskans clearly prefer Republicans … just not that one! Rank choice voting in Alaska came into existence by way of Republicans. They just didn’t realize that it doesn’t work for them when lunatics are part of the equation.
Do you think maybe just maybe it had something to do with the winner being a Native Alaskan?
Tell that to Tom Cotton.
It's none of his damn business! He needs to pay attention to Arkansas...ya know...the state he represents?
I think he forgot about the state as soon as he was elected.
I guess that is going to be a go to from now on. Whenever someone loses call it a scam.
Not Begich either.
“Do you think maybe just maybe it had something to do with the winner being a Native Alaskan?”
Who better to represent the State of Alaska?
Exactly!!