Others who have already filed paperwork already to appear on the ballot or who have filed statements of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission are Randy Purham, Gregg Brelsford and Shannon Scott Evans, all Republicans, and Chris Bye, a Libertarian. He has dispatched 21 opponents - some tried twice - since then. Alaskans reelected the Democrat anyway.īegich was declared dead in December 1972 and Young won a close special election in March 1973. Three weeks before the election, Begich’s plane disappeared on a flight from Anchorage to Juneau along with then-House Majority Leader Hale Boggs, the father of the late journalist Cokie Roberts. He was the Republican candidate in the 1972 general election against then-U.S. The title comes with no official duties other than swearing in the House speaker every two years and ensuring civility in the House. Young is the fourth person to hold the seat since Alaska gained statehood and now has the ceremonial title of Dean of the House, carried by the most senior member of the body. Sarah Palin’s lieutenant governor, Sean Parnell, took Young to the wire in the 2008 Republican primary, losing by 304 votes. senator.ĭuring his announcement, he addressed that, saying he comes from a large family and they approach service differently.īegich has always been a Republican, state voting records show, and he will become the highest profile person to challenge Young within the GOP since then-Gov. I think the entire country has to agree with that, and it was an unfortunate stain on the history of our nation and I hope that it is not repeated,” he said.īegich comes from a long line of prominent Alaska Democrats, including his grandfather and two uncles, one a current state senator and the other a former U.S. “The election was adjudicated through a constitutional process, and we have the result that we have,” Begich said.īegich also condemned the attack on the U.S. Begich did not answer when asked if he shared Trump’s view. Former President Donald Trump, the head of the GOP, has continued to try to cast doubt on the results of the 2020 election he lost to President Joe Biden. “And if there’s areas of common ground, and I believe that there are many areas of common ground where we can work across the aisle for the betterment of the state and this nation.”īegich said his loyalties lie with the values and principles of the Republican party. Ted Stevens that called for doing what was best for Alaska despite the politics. He at one point faulted Young for siding with Democrats on some votes but also invoked the mantra of the late U.S.
“I consider myself a strong conservative,” he said, noting that was one of the reasons he chose to make his campaign announcement in Wasilla instead of Anchorage. Though both are Republicans, Begich said there are differences between the two.
Don Young is in the race, and I fully expect that he’ll remain in the race right now, and we’re both going to run vigorous campaigns,” Begich said. Begich also discounted the rumor, saying voters will decide the race.