In Alaska US Senate primary, a race to finish fourth

ktoo.org ^ | 8/2/22 | Lisa Phu

[cotton1706]

The majority of voters going to the polls Aug. 16 will likely be choosing one of three candidates for Alaska’s U.S. Senate seat as their pick-one primary option: incumbent Republican Lisa Murkowski, Republican Party-endorsed Kelly Tshibaka or Democratic Party-endorsed Patricia Chesbro. It’s the top four candidates, though, who will advance to the November ranked choice voting general election.

Sixteen other names are on the ballot. When asked who the fourth candidate will be, most political insiders didn’t know or hadn’t given it much thought. But a few names float to the top.

“I think it is anybody’s guess,” said Amber Lee, communications and political consultant based in Anchorage. “There are some people who have run multiple times, like Edgar (Blatchford), who may have slightly more name recognition, but it could literally be anyone.”

Lobbyist and political consultant Jim Lottsfeldt similarly said he had “no clue.” He wasn’t familiar with the rest of the candidate pool and considers the competition for the fourth seat a “jump ball.”

[cotton1706]

The final four rankings will be a telltale sign of what's going to happen in November, a gauge of Murkowski's support, if you will.

She's going to make the November ballot, but I'd love to see her come in third or even fourth.

We'll see.

[Sacajaweau]

Bet she’ll come in first...with Dems voting for her....maybe even make 50%

[Wuli]

Ranked choice is a way for the “progressives” to get their preferred candidate after all. This was a ballot initiative measure approved by voters in 2020, and it was backed by Progressive activist groups. Now why would Progressives like such a measure? To conquer Conservatives by a divide-and-conquer method.