In a historic win, Mary Peltola defeated former Alaska Governor and Vice-Presidential candidate Sarah Palin in a special election for Alaska’s only seat in the House of Representatives. Congresswoman Peltola is Yup’ik, and is the first Alaska Native elected to the United States House of Representatives.
Congresswoman Peltola will serve the remainder of Congressman Don Young’s term, who passed away earlier this year. Young was the longest serving Republican in history, serving 49 years in Congress.
Congresswoman Peltola was raised in Alaska and served in the Alaska House of Representatives from 1999 to 2009. Beyond politics, she served as the Executive Director for the Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission and on the Orutsararmiut Native Council Tribal Court.
Congresswoman Peltola was sworn into office on September 13, 2022 and has been assigned to the House Natural Resources Committee.
Congresswoman Peltola will face Palin again this November in Alaska’s general election to determine who fills Alaska’s House of Representatives seat for the next two years.