Sarah Palin is leading the field in campaign contributions for the U.S. House race. The Republican former governor brought in more than $200,000 in the prior three months.
But not far behind her is Democrat Mary Peltola. She raised $162,000 for the second quarter, according to the report she filed with the Federal Election Commission on Friday.
Republican Nick Begich III raised about half of Peltola’s quarterly total. But he has far more cash on hand than the other two candidates — $700,000. Most of that is from the personal wealth he has loaned his campaign.
Palin, Peltola and Begich are the nominees in the special election to serve the remainder of the late Congressman Don Young’s term. Voters will pick the winner Aug. 16 in a ranked choice ballot.
That day is also the primary for the next full term in Congress. Other candidates in that primary include Republican Tara Sweeney. She raised $46,000 for the quarter. Her campaign total is dwarfed by an independent group working to promote her. Alaskans for T.A.R.A. reports raising $230,000 for the quarter, mostly from Native corporations and their executives and affiliates. In all, the independent group has spent more than half a million dollars on ads for Sweeney.
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Liz Ruskin is the Washington, D.C., correspondent at Alaska Public Media. Reach her at lruskin@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Liz here.
