Federal campaign finance reports show a well-funded challenger is trying to unseat Congressman Don Young in November.
Independent candidate Alyse Galvin of Anchorage raised $284,000 in the first three months of the year, the first filing period since her campaign began.
To find another Don Young challenger who raised that much at this stage in the race, you have to go back to Ethan Berkowitz’s run in 2008. (He raised slightly less during the first quarter of 2008, but had raised a total of $400,000 by the end of March, counting contributions from 2007.)
Galvin raised more than double what Young brought in during the first quarter. But Young raises money almost continuously, even in non-election years. The Republican incumbent has raked in nearly $600,000 for the 2018 election.
Young has been in office since 1973 and is the longest serving member in Congress.
Galvin is a public schools advocate who has never campaigned for statewide office before. She is running as an independent but she’s seeking to be the Democratic nominee. She’ll face Democrat Dimitri Shein of Anchorage on the Primary ballot.
Juneau resident Gregory Fitch has also filed to run, with no party affiliation.
The website for the Federal Election Commission showed no first-quarter reports for Shein or Fitch as of Monday.
Liz Ruskin is the Washington, D.C., correspondent at Alaska Public Media. Reach her at lruskin@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Liz here.
