Peltola endorsed by late GOP Rep. Young’s daughters, former staffer

The late Rep. Don Young’s (R-Alaska) two children and one of his former staffers cut ads in support of Rep. Mary Peltola’s (D-Alaska) bid to win Young’s former seat next month.

Peltola won a special election in August in a stunning upset to replace Young, who died earlier this year, for the remainder of his term, and she is now running for a full term to represent Alaska’s lone House seat in November’s midterm elections.

“My father believed in Alaska and Alaskan people, and Mary Peltola is going to carry on that legacy,” Dawn Vallely, one of Young’s two daughters, says in the ad, adding that her father would be thrilled by Peltola’s August victory.

“Today I handed Mary my father’s bolo tie. It’s a symbol of all of Alaska and service to Alaska,” Joni Nelson, Young’s other daughter, says in the ad, which was released on Thursday by Peltola’s campaign.

In the second ad, Young’s former communications director, Zack Brown, says his support for Peltola “isn’t about party.”

“It doesn’t matter if you’re a Republican, a Democrat or an independent,” Brown says. “Mary Peltola’s gonna fight for you. In these final weeks until Election Day, I’m asking you to take a look at Mary Peltola, to think about her work ethic, what she’s done, and to consider how important it is that Alaska continues to have a strong voice like Congressman Young, with fire in the belly, that will continue to put Alaska first.” 

Brown was one of 11 of Young’s former staffers and friends to endorse Peltola, who will once again face Republicans Sarah Palin and Nick Begich III next month, as she did in August, in an Oct. 25 Anchorage Daily News op-ed.

The endorsements come after Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said last week she would support Peltola, and the Democrat reciprocated by indicating support for Murkowski’s reelection bid.

Murkowski appears poised to cruise to another term in the upper chamber, while Peltola’s race is seen as a closer contest.

Despite their different parties, the two Alaskans have similar views on abortion and are building similar coalitions through the state’s crucial Native vote. Peltola is the first Alaska Native elected to Congress.