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Alaskas special election for its lone U.S. House seat is still too early to call, but initial returns show Democratic candidate Mary Peltola leading the field. If she is elected, Democrats will have flipped a seat held by the late GOP Rep. Don Young for nearly 50 years, most of Alaskas history as a state.

SENATE DEMOCRATS EYE SEPTEMBER VOTE TO CODIFY SAME-SEX MARRIAGE

But Peltola told the Washington Examiner she hopes to carry on Youngs legacy of bipartisanship.

Don Young worked in a very bipartisan way, she said. He had more seniority than any other member of the House has ever had, and he welcomed every single congressman into their position, personally. So, he had a very long history of bipartisanship, and I want to emulate that, and I want to emulate his hard work on constituent issues.

Peltola praised Young for his work bringing critical infrastructure to our new state that has a lot of really challenging terrain.

It's very hard to build infrastructure and maintain infrastructure in Alaska, and he was so good at that, he really transformed the airports in Alaska to be much more safe than they had been, Peltola said. His role on Resources and Transportation made all the difference for our growing state. So, I think it will mean a lot to Democrats, if a Democrat is elected, but I just really want to continue his legacy of fighting for all Alaskans.

The special election to fill the seat for the remainder of Youngs term following his unexpected death in March is a test case for the Frontier States new voting system, which allows four candidates to advance from a primary election, in which dozens of candidates competed in a so-called jungle primary on one ballot, with the top four vote-getters advancing to another round.

Early returns show Peltola leading a field that also includes Republicans such as ex-Gov. Sarah Palin and businessman Nick Begich III, who is from a prominent family of Alaska Democrats. Independent candidate Al Gross, who also advanced from the primary, said shortly thereafter that he would withdraw from both the special and general elections.

Peltola led Palin 38% to 32%, with 82% of the votes counted as of Friday evening. But regardless of who wins the special election to finish Youngs term, Peltola, Palin, and Begich will compete in November, as will a fourth, yet-to-be-determined candidate.

So, who is Peltola, the front-runner to flip Alaskas only House seat?

Peltola told the Washington Examiner she grew up helping her fathers salmon fishing business from the time she was about 6 years old.

He was very, very cheap and didn't want to hire a real crew member, she joked.

Peltola began her career as a herring and salmon technician for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game before running for the state legislature, mounting an unsuccessful bid at 22. Two years later, after she was married and expecting a child, she won a seat in the statehouse, where she remained for 10 years.

During her time in the legislature, Peltola said, she was a member of and then a chair for the Bush Caucus, a bipartisan group of legislators from rural parts of the state, and she enjoyed the across-the-aisle cooperation they shared.

It was a different era, the 1900s, she quipped. There was so much more civility and cooperation at that time.

She later joined the Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission to protect salmon runs in the state. Peltola and her husband Gene have seven children and two grandchildren.

Unless the top vote-getter in the U.S. House race has more than 50% of the vote once all initial ballots are counted which does not appear to be the case in this race, according to the initial returns the elections division will then count voters' ranked choices. The last-place candidate is then eliminated, with his or her voters subsequent choices going toward their next choice's tally. The process goes on for as many rounds as it takes until one candidate reaches a threshold of 50% plus one vote and is declared the winner.

Under state law, Alaskas Division of Elections must count every ballot before it begins tabulating ranked votes. The state permits ballots mailed from overseas voters to be accepted until Aug. 31 as long as they are postmarked by Election Day, so the candidates and the state must wait until then to know who will fill Youngs seat for the remainder of his term.

Peltola seemed undeterred by the prospect of waiting weeks for official results and offered praise for her Republican rivals, saying she had a friendly relationship with both, especially Palin, whom she knew during her time in the legislature.

Sarah was governor the two years that coincided with my last two years in the state House, and we happened to be pregnant at the same time with our now 14-year-olds, Peltola said.

The states ranked-choice voting process has been criticized in some quarters as messy and confusing for voters, but Peltola offered praise for it, saying it opens new avenues of discussion between voters and candidates across party lines and can help reduce partisanship.

I'm very optimistic because these closed party primaries have led to a situation where Republicans are trying to out-Republican each other, and we end up with candidates who are very, very extreme, and sometimes even fringe, who are then representing people who are mostly very middle of the road, she said.

Peltola said, People are now conditioned to expect it to be ugly, and it doesnt have to be that way.

At an event featuring all three candidates, Peltola said she spoke with voters bearing Palin or Begich signs, asking them to consider ranking her as their second choice.

If I see someone with a Sarah sign or a Nick sign, I can certainly understand why that's their first choice. And I'm so hopeful that they would consider me as their second choice. And I think they were just surprised to see somebody say, Hey, I get it, thats a great person, but I'm not so bad either.

As the ranked choices are tabulated, it is those second choices that could make all the difference.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Dave Wasserman of the nonpartisan Cook Political Report said this week Peltola has a legitimate shot to win under the new ranked-choice system.

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Alaska Democrat hopes to carry on Don Youngs legacy of bipartisanship - Washington Examiner

Sara Rodriguez,an Assembly representative in the state Legislature, capturedthe Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor after romping to victory in the Democratic primary.

Rodriguez will be campaigning alongside incumbent Gov. Tony Evers to fend off a challenge from construction executive Tim Michels this fall.

Here is a look at Rodriguez, a Democrat from Brookfield, as voters head into the general election.

Rodriguez was first elected to the Legislature in 2020, flipping a Republican-held district in the suburbs of Milwaukee and narrowly defeating four-term Republican incumbent Rob Hutton by just over 700 votes.

Before entering electoral politics, Rodriguez worked in the health care sector as a registered nurse and held a variety of positionsincludingthe principal of a health care consulting firm, the vice president of clinical services at Honeywell Life Care Solutions and a Centers for Disease Control epidemic intelligence officer.

Rodriguez, 47, is from Brookfield where she attended high school and now lives with her husband and two children. She graduated from Illinois Wesleyan University and earned a masters in nursing from Johns Hopkins University.

Rodriguez is a relative newcomer to the Legislature but has sponsored legislation to require cloth face coverings in certain settings, implement ranked choice voting in Wisconsin, facilitate automatic voter registration and establish a student loan repayment program.

Rodriguez has also been a vocal advocate for expanding access to abortion and campaigned on addressing health care staffing shortages in Wisconsin.

When she announced her candidacy, Rodriguez said:"I can be a really good partner to Gov. Evers in something as large and as complicated as the Wisconsin state government, but most importantly, public health is my passion."

Rodriguez said that as lieutenant governorshe would bring experience as a nurse and public health professional, "working in diverse communities to make sure that we can create environments where people can succeed."

Democratic Party spokeswoman Hannah Menchhoff said:As a nurse and as a public health professional, Rep. Rodriguez brings valuable experience to the statewide election. When we talk about doing the right thing for Wisconsinites, its people like Rep. Rodriguez who have dedicated themselves to making Wisconsin a better place to live and work.

"By flipping a Republican-held seat in 2020, she has also proven her ability to connect with voters and win tough races. We are excited to have Rep. Rodriguez on the ticket and know her campaign will only make the ticket even stronger," she added.

Rodriguez was elected to the Legislature two years ago by a slim margin but won the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor in a 245,000-vote landslide.

Rodriguez can be reached at her Madison office by calling 608-267-9836 or emailing rep.SRodriguez@legis.wisconsin.gov.

Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal.

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What you need to know about Sara Rodriguez, the lieutenant governor nominee running with incumbent Tony Evers - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

What in Gods green earth has happened to the North Dakota Republican Party? The North Dakota GOP the party of Milton Young and Mark Andrews. The party of civilized conservatives.

Now that the primaries are over, take a look at the candidates running for offices on the Republican ballot. Candidates who were at the January 6th insurrection, saying they should have done more; Candidates who were not at the insurrection but advocated for it and are now are calling for a civil war.

My mother would say, "Why, theyve fallen off their rockers. Civilized North Dakotan Republicans, for goodness sake, you need to cross over and vote Democrat.

As I have stated before Im a Democrat. My great-grandfather, who homesteaded the farm I live on, was a follower of William Jennings Bryon. My grandfather was a member of the Non Partisan League, later joining the North Dakota Democratic NPL Party. My father served on the board of the local Farmers Union elevator and was a member of the ND Democrat NPL Party. My grandfather told me how wonderful it was when the REA, Rural Electric Association, brought electricity to the farm and he could milk cows at night with light from an electric light in the barn instead of a kerosene lamp by his milk stool. You have Republicans that would now scream thats a socialistic program and vote to block it.

My other grandfather, who homesteaded in western Benson County, told me how great it was when the Farmers Union Central Exchange started a coop program to market cattle for members. He didnt have to ride the Soo Line Railroad cattle car to St. Paul to market his cattle, another program some current Republicans would scream socialistic.

I have acquaintances who are farmers who tell me theyre no Socialistic Democrat. But they participate and receive payment from one of the largest socialistic programs in the world-Federal Crop Insurance. I mean, youre talking a Norway- and Sweden-type program. They cry it should be doing more.

North Dakota Republicans, civilized conservatives, you need to cross over and vote Democrat until you can rid your party of these extremists.

Collin Evenson lives in Devils Lake, N.D.

This letter does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Forum's editorial board nor Forum ownership.

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Letter: It's time to vote Democrat until Republicans can rid their party of extremists - INFORUM

To me, being a conservative Republican means you value pulling yourself up by your bootstraps, lower taxes, and limited government. These are beliefs that Ive held my whole life, and my vote has reflected that in every election. It is because of those values that I voted for Donald Trump both times. In fact, in at least the last 25 years, Ive never voted for a single Democrat in a partisan race.Until this one.I did not vote for Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto in 2016. I did support Adam Laxalt in his bids for attorney general and governor respectively. However, in this election, I will vote to re-elect Cortez Masto.Now, Im not switching my party affiliation, and I continue to be a proud conservative. And though Catherine and I may disagree on a number of issues, I know one thing for sure: Catherine is a proud Nevadan, and cares about the success of our state. Catherine always has Nevadans best interests top of mind. In my experience, Catherine has a strong desire to support rural counties in Nevada. She listens to leadership and constituents alike to find solutions. Thats not something I can say about the other candidate in this race.I served on the Lyon County Commission for eight years and spent three years as its chairman. During that time, I worked closely with Catherine, and was very impressed with the care she puts into her work, especially when it comes to rural Nevada.Some politicians I worked with were more interested in talking about themselves than hearing about what we need in the rural communities. Catherine is the exact opposite. She sits down with us individually, whether we voted for her or not, takes time to listen to our unique challenges, and then she puts in the work to address them.With the Navy looking to expand Naval Air Station Fallon, Catherine comes into the community and listens to everyones perspective so she can prioritize the needs of the people out here. She blocked the initial proposal for the expansion because it didnt represent all local stakeholders fairly, and she has made sure to push the Navy to get everyone to collaborate on a new proposal, including the Tribes, ranchers, sportsmen and officials in the surrounding counties. Shes always going to look for the best outcome for Nevada and our national security.Catherine doesnt just make herself available to us when we have specific projects she is focused on. In my experience, when I would reach out to Catherine or her team for assistance or support, my calls were answered, and the needs of Lyon County were given attention. In addition, she would provide whatever resources we needed to deliver for our community.I spent the last 15 years focused on serving Lyon County and the best interests of rural communities in Nevada. I have done so while being guided by my conservative principles. Ultimately my vote is given to whom I think will do their best to serve my community and my state party affiliation aside. I know that we can count on Cortez Masto to deliver for us in Lyon County as well as in Nevada. I know this because I have witnessed her diligent work for those regardless of party affiliation. For that reason, Catherine will receive my vote this November.Bob Hastings was a Lyon County commissioner from 2013 to 2021.

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Bob Hastings: Why I'm voting for a Democrat for the first time in over 25 years - Nevada Appeal

The following article was originally published on News5Cleveland.com and is published in the Ohio Capital Journal under a content-sharing agreement. Unlike other OCJ articles, it is not available for free republication by other news outlets as it is owned by WEWS in Cleveland.

Despite her property being in the district, a Democratic nominee for a state House seat in Ohio was forced to withdraw because of her official address.

Abby Kovacs, who has worked around the world for a non-profit and has a masters degree in political science, was cut out of her district by mere feet.

She was ready to take on state House Rep. Sarah Fowler Arthur, a Republican from Ashtabula, this November for the 99th District seat.

I was like, wow, it really happened!' Kovacs said about winning her primary. And, you know, to have that taken away is really I didnt get to give it the chance that it deserved.

There was some interest from other Ashtabula County residents to run for the seat, but Kovacs ended up being unopposed during the August 2 primary.

But the candidates mailbox was just 20 feet in the wrong direction, she said.

Her familys home has historically been in the 99th District. Now it is in the 65th.

Although she references how much she was cut out by as 20 feet, that isnt entirely accurate. Her property extends acres across the line, but her official mailing address disqualifies her from the race.

I told party leadership about it, and theyre like, Dont worry, it wont be a big deal, well figure it out,' she said.

She was able to run in the primary, trusting that information and bouncing around until August, but realized she wouldnt have enough funds to continue. So, eight days after she won, she announced her withdrawal.

A teacher from Ashtabula, Stephen Michael Kellat, said she is just another victim of the Ohio Redistricting Commission.

Over the course of drawing Map 3, they use of all the candidate names and addresses, which were settled in February, Kellat said. That gave the map drivers one heck of an advantage.

The Democrat filed in the 99th, which the first two maps placed her in, on Feb. 2. Months later, Map 3, which was declared unconstitutional twice by the Ohio Supreme Court before being approved by a federal district court, was implemented.

RELATED: Trump-appointed federal court judges end Ohios redistricting battle, side with GOP

She tried to reach out to Ashtabula County to give her the authority to stay, but was told by John Mead, a Democrat and the director of the board of elections, that the timeline was nearly impossible to get everything done.

She would then have to go and jump through all the hoops of getting that trailer or a tent or anything acknowledged as a residency, Mead said. So unfortunate for Abby that she was so close. So close but yet so far away as they say.

She also cant run in 65th District, because that isnt where she initially filed to vote. She filed under the impression that she was in 99th because that was the map at the time.

To make the situation even more complicated than it already is, her competitors husband is the chairperson of the Ashtabula County Board of Elections.

It seems a little bit deliberate to be cut out like 20 feet, she said.

Mead reassured everything had been ethical.

I can see where Abby would feel that way but in reality that that was not the case, he said. [Isaac Arthur] always abstains on anything associated with his wife.

Kovacs doesnt believe that citing she knew she was a threat to Fowler Arthurs seat.

To hear a state representative coming out and saying things that, we support teaching the Holocaust from the perspective of Nazis, its just how out of touch and ill equipped to be a leader she is, the Democrat said.

After theexclusive News 5 storyon Fowler Arthurs comments on the Holocaust went international, Kovacs said she watched the backlash rake in. She even sent out her own Tweet about it.

RELATED: Comments about the Holocaust from representative sponsoring divisive concepts bill raise concerns

If someone had no problem saying children should be taught both sides of the Holocaust, Fowler Arthur or the GOP probably did this purposefully, she added.

Also, it is possible that the immense backlash the Republican faced caused the mapmakers to try to get rid of the competition, the Democrat hypothesized.

To be clear, this is all just thinking from Kovacs and other Democrats. There is no evidence of Fowler Arthur or the Ohio GOP purposely sabotaging Kovacs chance. Fowler Arthur was not on the ORC, nor did she make any draft maps.

Were all aware of the unconstitutional issues and the complications associated with the maps, Mead said. I understand they essentially start in Columbus and kind of work their way out in concentric circles. And by the time you get up to Northeast Ohio, the farthest corner in the state, theres not a lot of wiggle room of moving lines around.

News 5 reached out to Fowler Arthur for a comment, but she did not respond.

Luckily for the Democrats, because Kovacs was in the primary, they got to appoint a new candidate. Kathy Zappitello, the executive director of the Conneaut Public Library, is taking her spot.

Kovacs is really happy for Zappitello, and said she will do a great job, but she cant help but feel distraught about the situation.

Its unfortunate that I didnt even get the opportunity, she said.

Kovacs could have tried to fight it, but that would have cost her money she didnt have, she said.

Both she and Mead said they reached out to Sec. of State Frank LaRose to try to find a way to make this work, since her property is legitimately in the district.

Unfortunately, the reality is that in order to fight it, it would be a legal battle, she said. And the Democrats in my area just dont have the funding to be able to fight that battle. So we just have to, I dont know, bend over.

She tried to find a loophole, but kept getting stuck.

LaRoses team said Ashtabula is the one who would need to handle this concern, not them.

The ultimate result of redistricting has changed district boundaries, Rob Nichols, LaRoses spokesperson, told News 5. Yet, all this has to be decided at the local level.

However, Ashtabula said they had to follow him and his directives.

We do have a very strong centralized Secretary of States office, and they are very strict on a number of items as they should be, Mead said. And one of those very strict items is the notion of qualified electors as it relates to the address associated with your domicile.

The Ashtabula Auditor technically could have given her a new address code, Nichols confirmed, but at this point, it is too late. She already stepped down.

The Redistricting Commission sets the districts, he said. Its the local level that is deciding matters like this.

It is a shame that more people arent paying attention to redistricting and this whole mess, Kovacs said.

This is just insane, like the things that they put me through and that the party has put me through, she said, sighing.

FollowWEWSstatehouse reporter Morgan Trau onTwitterandFacebook.

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Democratic House nominee in Ohio drawn out of district by a few feet, must withdraw from race - Ohio Capital Journal