Sarah Palin Advances To General Election After Leading Alaska House Primary

Topline

Sarah Palin will face off against three other candidates in an August special election for Alaska’s sole House seat after leading the field in an open primary, the Associated Press has projected, as the former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee seeks to stage a political comeback—with support from former President Donald Trump.

Key Facts

What To Watch For

The August 16 special election falls on the same date as another primary to fill the House seat for a full two-year term, ahead of a four-person general election in November. Palin, Begich and many of the other candidates who vied for a special election victory are also running in the general election.

Key Background

Young’s death at the age of 88 left Alaska without representation in the House for the first time since 1973, when Young was first sworn in. Palin launched her campaign for the seat in April and almost immediately earned Trump’s endorsement, likely boosting her fortunes in a state Trump won by 10 points in 2020. Palin first leaped to national fame when she served as John McCain’s 2008 presidential running mate, an experience that endeared her to Republican voters but was seen as an unusual choice given her lack of experience. She has been out of the formal political arena since mid-2009, when she resigned from the Alaska governor’s office just over halfway through her first term, though she’s remained a high-profile figure in conservative activist and media circles. Meanwhile, Begich—who comes from a family of Democratic Alaska politicians—earned the state Republican Party’s endorsement and has sought to cast himself as a more serious candidate, suggesting in a Washington Post interview last week Palin is a “celebrity.” And Gross ran for a Senate seat with Democrats’ backing in 2020, losing to incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan (R) by more than 10 points.

Further Reading

Alaska is having the wildest election of 2022 (Washington Post)