Politics

The roots of Alaska’s disloyalty clause come from a Hawaiian dockworkers’ strike in the 1940s

A bill to avert a freight rail strike now heads to President Joe Biden’s desk.

None of Alaska’s 62 legislative and statewide races changed leaders as members of the multipartisan state review board examined unofficial results for accuracy.

Alaska Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola voted against blocking the strike but voted yes on a follow-up bill adding sick leave to the contract.

Peltola said she wants to see paid sick leave for rail workers before she could support blocking the strike.

After a 10-year hiatus, congressionally directed spending returned to Capitol Hill in 2021. Sen. Lisa Murkowski is advocating for 130 earmarked projects across the state, while Sen. Dan Sullivan has a different philosophy on earmarks.

Newly elected lawmakers said Friday that they will seek to work “in the middle” on policy issues including energy, education and the budget.

The money has been allocated to improve roads, bridges, ferries and internet access, and help provide clean water, among other initiatives.

Palin reemerged in Alaska politics morethan a decade after resigning as governor with hopes of winning the state’s U.S. House seat. But she struggled to catch fire with voters and ran what critics saw as a lackluster campaign against Mary Peltola and Nick Begich III.

Results announced Wednesday in 59 legislative races strengthened the prospects of a bipartisan coalition governing the Alaska Senate, while complicating the path to forming House leadership.

Mary Peltola, a Democrat and the first Alaska Native elected to Congress, won reelection to the U.S. House of Representatives, defeating Republican challengers Sarah Palin and Nick Begich.

Murkowski beat Trump-backed challenger Kelly Tshibaka by more than seven points after ranked choice votes were tabulated.

The Alaska Division of Elections tabulated ranked choice votes in the November general election on Wednesday afternoon, delivering final results in several high-profile races.

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy earned just over half of first-choice votes, becoming the first Alaska governor to win reelection in more than two decades.

The Alaska Division of Elections is set to finish counting ballots Wednesday and finalize results of races for governor, U.S. House, U.S. Senate and 59 legislative seats.

In its more than 60-year history, Alaska has never had an openly LGBTQ state lawmaker. Now, Alaska voters are set to send three down to Juneau.

A coalition of conservative-leaning states is making a last-ditch effort to keep in place a Trump-era public health rule that allows many asylum seekers to be turned away at the southern U.S. border.

Murkowski is on track to win reelection, with the most recent vote count showing her ahead of her Trump-backed Republican opponent Kelly Tshibaka in first-choice votes.

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Rep. Mary Peltola and Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy are in solid positions to retain their seats after thousands of additional ballots were counted on Friday.

Democrat Jennie Armstrong is set to be elected to the state House, but another challenge could be filed once election results are certified.

A new group has formed to gather signatures in an effort to overturn ranked choice voting and open primaries. Former Gov. Sarah Palin was the first to sign the petition.

In this episode: Host Elizabeth Harball talks with reporters Iris Samuels and Sean Maguire about where election results stand and how GOP leaders are thinking about their path ahead.

Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan of Alaska and Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell of Washington sent the request to U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.