Mary Peltola wins Alaska special election, will be first Alaska Native to serve in the House
Democrat Mary Peltola won the special election for Alaska’s only U.S. House seat on Wednesday, besting a field that included Republican Sarah Palin, who was seeking a political comeback in the state where she was once governor.
Peltola, who is Yup’ik and turned 49 on Wednesday, will become the first Alaska Native to serve in the House and the first woman to hold the seat. She will serve the remaining months of the late Republican U.S. Rep. Don Young’s term. Young held the seat for 49 years before his death in March.
Video Transcript
[AUDIO OUT]
MARY PELTOLA: Well, just a tremendous sense of gratitude and appreciation for the people who've put trust in me to fill out the remainder of Congressman Young's term. Like you said, he's represented Alaska very well for the last 49 years. And it's just a tremendous honor to come in and finish out the remainder of his term.
