Republican candidate Nick Begich defeated incumbent Democratic rival Rep. Mary Peltola in Alaska’s U.S. House race on Wednesday, providing Republicans with a small victory as they seek to bolster their narrow House majority.
The Associated Press called the race in favor of Begich shortly after 9 p.m. ET, with 99 percent of the votes counted.
Begich received 51.3 percent of the vote following two rounds of ranked-choice tabulations, while Peltola received 48.7 percent of the vote, according to the AP.
The Alaska Division of Elections completed the ranked-choice tabulations—which allows voters to rank candidates on the ballot in order of preference—after both Begich and Peltola failed to garner a majority of first-choice votes on Nov. 5.
The other two hopefuls in the race for the state’s lone House seat were Alaskan Independence Party candidate John Wayne Howe and Democratic candidate Eric Hafner, who is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for threatening authorities and others in New Jersey.
In a statement on social media late Wednesday, Begich said the ranked-choice voting tabulation confirmed his win “beyond any residual doubt,” while thanking voters for their trust and support.
“Alaska’s potential is unmatched, but much work remains for Alaskans to fully realize that potential,” Begich said.
Begich, who comes from a long line of Democratic politicians, vowed to get to work fixing unemployment and the economy.
“Together, we will tackle the challenges ahead and build opportunities for every Alaskan—because this is about much more than politics; it’s about improving the lives of all Alaskans who call our incredible state home,” Begich said.
The businessman also thanked Peltola “for her service to the state and nation in what is an exceptionally challenging role during an exceptionally challenging moment in our national history.”
Peltola, who is Yup’ik, was the first Alaska Native in Congress and had been endorsed by the daughters of former Rep. Don Young.
Trump Backs ‘Incredible Fighter’ Begich
In a separate statement on Wednesday, Peltola said serving as Alaska’s congresswoman had been the honor of her life.
“The path ahead will not be built by one person or three people working for all of Alaska but by all Alaskans working together to build a future that works for all of us,” the Congresswoman said in a statement on X.
“Nick, I’m rooting for you. Please don’t forget when D.C. people keep telling you that you are one of three, you are actually one of more than seven hundred thousand Alaskans who are ready to fight for our state, myself included.”
Begich was among the opponents Peltola defeated during her special and regular election wins in 2022, following the death of Young, who had held the seat for nearly 50 years.
He is also no stranger to politics—his grandfather, the late Rep. Nick Begich, held the Alaska House seat before Young while one of his uncles, Mark, was a U.S. senator for Alaska from 2009 to 2015. Another of his uncles, Tom, was a state senator.
During his campaign, Begich—who is the CEO and founder of a software development company—focused on key issues such as bolstering America’s energy security, protecting Second Amendment rights, and lowering health care costs.
In September, Begich also secured an endorsement from President-elect Donald Trump, who said he would be an “incredible fighter” in Congress and would “work closely” with him “to enact MAGA policies.”
Trump also described Begich as a “very successful small businessman” who knows how to fight inflation, grow the economy, lower taxes, and eliminate government waste and said the Alaskan Republican would work tirelessly to secure the border, fight crime, and strengthen the military, among other things.
Begich’s win on Wednesday expands the Republican majority in the House to 219 while the Democratic minority is 213, according to AP’s projections.
Three seats—California’s 13th and 45th Congressional Districts and Iowa’s 1st Congressional District—are still undecided.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
From The Epoch Times