Sarah Palin Takes Center Stage in Alaska Primary That Debuts Voting Reforms

newsweek.com ^ | 6/9/22 | Daniel Bush

[cotton1706]

The sweeping election reforms that Alaska voters approved two years ago were intended to reduce the power of major political parties and benefit centrist candidates who don't cater to either ideological extreme.

But Alaska's new system of open, nonpartisan primaries and ranked-choice general elections may produce the opposite result when it goes into effect for the first time Saturday, in a special election to fill the remaining term of the late Representative Don Young, a Republican who died in office in March after holding the state's lone House seat for 49 years.

Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin and a handful of other candidates on the far right and left have emerged as the frontrunners among the four-dozen candidates on the ballot in the primary race.

Alaska is holding a separate primary election the same day, with the top four finishers going on to the general election in November to determine who will serve the full two-year term starting next year.

If Palin makes it to the August general election, the ranked-choice system might still hurt the 2008 Republican vice-presidential nominee, whose popularity in Alaska has plummeted since she resigned as governor more than a decade ago.

But for now at least the nonpartisan primary format appears to have benefited well-known conservatives, such as Palin and Nick Begich III, who have connections to state and national Republicans — instead of more moderate candidates, as supporters of the voting reforms had hoped.

[cotton1706]

“who is begich?”

He’s supposedly a Republican. But he’s the grandson or great grandson of the Democrat that Don Young took the seat from in 1973. And he’s the nephew of US Senator Begich (Democrat, elected in 2008, defeated in 2014).

So even if he IS a Republican, he’ll have Democrat whispers in the ear from the whole family.

So no thanks!

[strongbow]

Twenty plus years in Alaska. Know Sarah and like her. Not voting for her. She was a terrible governor. That’s just the facts. If you didn’t live in AK during her half term as governor you only know what you see on national “conservative” TV and hear from sycophant Hannity.

[ansel12]

Palin was in office for 32 months, not 24, while her Governor polls were astronomical such as 93%, the media beat her down to her leaving office with 56% approval.

[strongbow]

Like the Kipling poem. Do you live in Alaska? Do you know that she was the darling of the local leftist media until she made the national spotlight?

[ansel12]

I know she was a great conservative that led to the tea party and Trump and that Alaska loved her and that she almost took her ticket to a win over Obama and then later over Murkowski if she hadn’t been blocked by people of your type within her party.

[strongbow]

Wow. So you don’t live in Alaska and you know people like me who do? I campaigned for Sarah and supported her as a delegate from my district at the state GOP convention. I’m just trying to help you understand something that is hard to accept for non Alaskans who have bought the national media narrative. Oh and BTW murky couldn’t be loathed any more than I do. I campaigned and supported the nominee that primaried her. I repeat, Sarah was a horrible governor. Sorry if cannot accept that.

[ansel12]

Yes we all know about the 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate and Alaska’s most popular governor and the top national conservative for years.

We also know that you have been posting against Palin since about 2005 and voted for Murkowski against Palin in the 2006 governor’s race.

You’ve been posting against Palin on FR for 16 or 17 years, frequently as a concern troll (I like her but...) and you didn’t even know how long she was governor, get a new shtick.

[McGruff]

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump

Hopefully Alaska will get out today and VOTE for Sarah Palin in the Special Primary. She is a GREAT person who will NEVER LET YOU DOWN!

Jun 11, 2022, 13:12