What we’re learning from early primary results in Alaska House and Senate races

Levi Gionet helps a elector formed his ballot for Alaska’s superior predetermination astatine Anchorage School District connected Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024. (Matt Faubion/Alaska Public Media)

Last updated: 9:30 p.m.

Results are rolling for Tuesday’s superior election, nan first clip successful nan 2024 rhythm that voters person a chance to measurement successful connected races for nan Alaska House and Senate. 

An Eagle River Republican legislator who has worked crossed nan aisle is successful a tight title against a blimpish challenger, and a Democrat has an early lead for an Interior authorities House spot successful a section that includes 4 Republicans.

Here are immoderate much takeaways from nan first batch of results, which we’ll update arsenic much ballots are counted later this evening and into nan early greeting hours. 

But first, 1 point to support successful mind: Absentee ballots will proceed to beryllium counted done Aug. 30, and nan results will not go charismatic until certified successful early September, according to nan Division of Elections — truthful what we spot coming could alteration arsenic much ballots are counted. 

There are conscionable 3 races that will spot candidates eliminated pursuing nan primary: nan U.S. House race, a authorities Senate title and a authorities House race. Democratic Congresswoman Mary Peltola leads successful early results for U.S. House.

A adjacent Senate title successful Eagle River

In Senate District L, covering Eagle River, Republican Sen. Kelly Merrick is successful nan lead complete 3 blimpish challengers and 1 Democrat pinch conscionable awkward of 35% of nan vote. Merrick has travel nether onslaught from 3 of her 4 challengers, each Republicans, for joining a bipartisan mostly caucus. 

Merrick’s main title comes from Jared Goecker, who is adjacent down astatine astir 33% of nan ballot pinch 7 of 13 precincts reporting.

Merrick has defended her determination to subordinate nan majority, saying she would not person been arsenic effective a legislator had she been relegated to nan minority, but Goecker and others formed her determination arsenic a betrayal of blimpish voters. 

The fifth-ranked campaigner successful nan title will beryllium eliminated. For now, Republican erstwhile Rep. Sharon Jackson is successful 5th pinch astir 7% of nan vote. Fourth-place Democrat Lee Hammermeister has 15%. 

Democrat takes early lead successful six-way Interior House race

The only different authorities legislative title that will spot candidates eliminated successful nan superior is for nan vast, agrarian House District 36, covering areas of nan Interior from Glennallen to Delta Junction, Tok, Fort Yukon and Ruby. The title features 4 Republicans, 1 Democrat and a Libertarian. There’s nary incumbent successful nan race, arsenic Rep. Mike Cronk, R-Tok, withdrew to tally for an Interior Senate seat.

With 15% of nan district’s precincts reporting, Democrat Brandon Putuuqti Kowalski is retired to an early lead pinch astir 36% of nan vote.

Kowalski, a erstwhile postgraduate investigation adjunct who now useful arsenic a structural welder, pledged to “work crossed nan aisle to conflict for our region” successful his official campaigner statement. He told voters he supports expanding authorities acquisition backing for nationalist schools, restoring a defined-benefit status strategy for authorities workers and expanding nan state’s substitute for Social Security known arsenic nan Supplemental Benefits System. An Iñupiaq man calved successful Fairbanks and raised successful Kotzebue, Kowalski said he would activity to sphere subsistence opportunities and accepted ways of life while elevating tribal voices.

The 4 Republicans successful nan title are intimately split, each pinch betwixt 13% and 17% of nan ballot successful early results.

Libertarian James Fields is successful a distant sixth pinch little than 3% of nan vote.

Other highlights — and a statement of caution

In different races, while nary candidates will beryllium eliminated, nan superior results could beryllium an early denotation of wherever voters are leaning up of November’s classed prime wide election. But it’s acold from a cleanable forecast of nan title up — primaries are typically low-turnout affairs, and candidates who person lagged successful nan superior title person sometimes travel backmost to hit nan section successful nan wide election.

In Senate District H, which includes nan Anchorage neighborhoods of Sand Lake and Campbell Lake and residents adjacent Ted Stevens International Airport, nan Democratic incumbent Sen. Matt Claman has a important early lead. Claman has astir 59% pinch each 13 precincts reporting, though less than 20% of registered voters formed ballots successful nan race.

Claman led a successful push to stiffen criminal laws during nan astir caller legislative convention and counts nationalist safety, fiscal work and value acquisition as his apical priorities.

Rep. Tom McKay, a Republican who ended his House reelection bid to situation Claman, is successful 2nd spot pinch 21%. McKay had pledged to driblet retired of nan title if he came successful third, though chap Republican Liz Vazquez, who is successful 3rd pinch astir 20%, has not made a akin commitment.

In House District 10, including nan Oceanview and Klatt areas of Anchorage, nan incumbent is trailing by a important margin. House Rules Committee Chair Rep. Craig Johnson, a Republican, is moving down erstwhile Rep. Chuck Kopp, who has positioned himself arsenic a much mean Republican. Kopp has 61% of nan ballot pinch each precincts reporting.

In nan title to switch McKay successful House District 15, erstwhile Republican Sen. Mia Costello leads pinch astir 52% of nan vote. Democrat Denny Wells has conscionable nether 44%. Wells ran for nan spot successful 2022 and mislaid to McKay by conscionable a fistful of votes. Turnout is debased astatine astir 15%.

On nan Kenai Peninsula, incumbent Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, R-Nikiski has a constrictive lead complete his much blimpish challenger, Rep. Ben Carpenter, R-Nikiski. Incumbent Rep. Sarah Vance, R-Homer has a important lead successful a four-candidate section for a spot representing nan confederate Kenai Peninsula. 

In a three-person title to correspond confederate Southeast Alaska’s House District 1, Republican borough assembly personnel and second-time House campaigner Jeremy Bynum is disconnected to a large lead pinch astir 50% of nan ballot complete a brace of independent candidates: Ketchikan assembly colleague, Grant EchoHawk and location nonprofit leader Agnes Moran. They’re vying for a spot representing Ketchikan, Wrangell and Coffman Cove. The spot is presently held by Ketchikan independent Rep. Dan Ortiz, who announced this twelvemonth he would not tally for reelection.

For a afloat database of results, cheque nan Division of Elections’ website.