Though Sarah Palin, a former GOP governor of Alaska, was narrowly defeated yesterday in a special election, she still could take Alaska's sole House seat in January, when the next Congress convenes.
Palin trailed her Democratic opponent by 3 points after Alaska officials finally wrapped up their calculations based on the state's new ranked-voting system, in which voters may indicate several candidates and rank them by preference. Her opponent, Mary Peltola, is the first Native Alaskan to be elected to Congress. Alaska's population is 20 percent native American.
Though Peltola took 51.5 percent of the vote to Palin's 48.5 percent, Peltola is to hold office for four-and-half months to fill out the term of Republican Don Young, who died in March at age 88 after nearly five decades in office. She and Palin face off again in the November election, along with Republican Nick Begich who scored close to 0 percent of special election votes.
Former President Donald Trump has endorsed Palin, who now needs a strong get-out-the vote drive among Trump's many Alaska supporters in order to counter Peltola's popularity among indigenous Alaskans.
Palin expressed frustration with the "confusing" new balloting system.
Mail-in ballots may have played a role in her defeat.
Palin trailed her Democratic opponent by 3 points after Alaska officials finally wrapped up their calculations based on the state's new ranked-voting system, in which voters may indicate several candidates and rank them by preference. Her opponent, Mary Peltola, is the first Native Alaskan to be elected to Congress. Alaska's population is 20 percent native American.
Though Peltola took 51.5 percent of the vote to Palin's 48.5 percent, Peltola is to hold office for four-and-half months to fill out the term of Republican Don Young, who died in March at age 88 after nearly five decades in office. She and Palin face off again in the November election, along with Republican Nick Begich who scored close to 0 percent of special election votes.
Former President Donald Trump has endorsed Palin, who now needs a strong get-out-the vote drive among Trump's many Alaska supporters in order to counter Peltola's popularity among indigenous Alaskans.
Palin expressed frustration with the "confusing" new balloting system.
Mail-in ballots may have played a role in her defeat.
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