Alaska News

Begich bucks NRA, votes to approve Obama's surgeon general nominee

Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Begich voted Monday to confirm President Barack Obama's nominee to be the country's surgeon general, who was narrowly approved after a lengthy delay stemming from a controversy over the nominee's views on gun rights.

Vivek Murthy, an internal medicine physician and political supporter of Obama, had drawn opposition from the National Rifle Association over his support for gun control. Begich told constituents earlier this year that he was unlikely to vote for Murthy's confirmation.

But Begich had staked out that position while he was in a tight re-election campaign, which he ultimately lost in November to Republican U.S. Sen.-elect Dan Sullivan.

On Monday, Begich voted to approve Murthy -- a move that came after a face-to-face meeting between Begich and Murthy last month, as well as a handwritten letter from the nominee saying he wouldn't focus on gun-related issues as surgeon general.

As many as 10 Democrats had previously wavered over Murthy's nomination. But ultimately almost all of them joined Begich in voting to confirm the nominee, including Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Mark Pryor of Arkansas, both of whom lost their seats in the November election.

Murthy's nomination was approved in a 51-43 vote that closely hewed to party lines, with Alaska Republican U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski voting against confirmation.

In a letter to constituents after the vote, Begich said Murthy told him he would "do nothing to infringe on Americans' constitutional rights." And he added that Murthy said he would be committed to fighting health problems that include obesity, chronic disease and substance abuse, and "displayed a solid knowledge of the unique public health challenges facing Alaskans."

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A spokesman for Murkowski said she voted against the nomination because "she found his awareness of the unique and severe health challenges facing rural America seriously lacking.

"The surgeon general is supposed to be considered the 'People's Doctor,' and Mr. Murthy could only speak with informed confidence about the people and medical realities of highly-populated areas," Matthew Felling, Murkowski's director of communications, said in a statement. "On top of that, his publicly stated views on gun control were also out of sync with the majority of Alaskans."

Murthy's nomination had been approved in a Senate committee in February.

Nathaniel Herz

Anchorage-based independent journalist Nathaniel Herz has been a reporter in Alaska for nearly a decade, with stints at the Anchorage Daily News and Alaska Public Media. Read his newsletter, Northern Journal, at natherz.substack.com

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