The Alaska Federation of Natives will not include a U.S. House forum in its annual convention, a surprise move that erases a cornerstone of Alaska’s political calendar.
Ordinarily, the political forums on the final day of AFN’s convention are some of the most important events for prospective Alaska politicians seeking statewide office. More than 1 in 5 Alaskans has Native ancestry, and the AFN convention is the state’s largest annual Native forum.
Candidates in this year’s U.S. House race already had a forum penciled into their calendars, but no invitations had been sent.
Rep. Mary Peltola, D-Alaska, was elected to a two-year term in 2022 after AFN attendees gave her their endorsement that year. She’s now seeking re-election against three competitors, including Republican candidate Nick Begich.
Several Alaska Native tribes and three of the state’s regional Native corporations have endorsed Peltola’s campaign, and she is the only House candidate named on any draft resolution thus far submitted for consideration at this year’s convention.
Delegates to the convention will vote on resolutions, including one about Ballot Measure 2, on Oct. 19.
Benjamin Mallott, president-elect of the Alaska Federation of Natives, confirmed that the convention will not include a candidate forum.
“Instead, we are focusing on panels that align with our convention theme and initiatives to encourage Alaska Native voter engagement through the ‘Get Out The Native Vote’ efforts,” he said by email.
“AFN endorsed Representative Peltola in 2022, and a similar resolution has been submitted for consideration by our delegates this year. It is scheduled to be reviewed in accordance with AFN bylaws at the convention on October 19,” he said.
By phone, Mallott said the issue was one of timing and priorities: Organizers are trying to fit many prospective topics into a three-day agenda, and the House forum kept getting squeezed for time. Now, it makes more sense to do a generalized get-out-the-vote effort, he said.
Until recent years, AFN endorsements were rare. The organization notably backed Tony Knowles’ campaigns for governor in 1994 and 1998, and Lisa Murkowski’s write-in U.S. Senate campaign in 2010.
After 2020’s AFN convention went online-only amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization didn’t endorse any candidates. It declined to endorse a governor candidate in 2022 but endorsed Peltola and Murkowski for federal races.
Those endorsements came after a candidate forum in which Republican candidate Sarah Palin remarked that convention-goers clearly favored Peltola.
“We are in Mary’s house, and I know that. And I love her dearly. I’m as proud of her as all of you are,” Palin said at the time.
Peltola’s challengers this year include Begich, who also ran two years ago, as well as John Wayne Howe of the Alaskan Independence Party and Eric Hafner, a Democrat serving a 20-year federal prison term in New York state.
Polling indicates Begich is Peltola’s leading competitor for the seat once held by Begich’s grandfather, also named Nick Begich, a Democrat who served from 1971 until his death the following year.
“The opportunity to debate ideas and direction for our communities is a bedrock of our Republic. In my view, it is a disservice to the Alaska Native community to deprive AFN members of the opportunity to make an informed decision after comparing both congressional candidates’ ideas and records,” Begich said by email.
“My grandfather worked tirelessly to pass the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) out of the House. My father worked as a tribal administrator and village planner for Chickaloon Village and was even ceremonially adopted by Clan Grandmother Katie Wade. Our family has a long history of working to address the needs of all Alaskans, including Alaska’s first people,” he said. “To all Alaska Natives across the state: I hear you, and I want to talk to you. My door is always open and nothing will stop my commitment to listen to you and to work with you to solve the challenges that we face as Alaskans.”
Asked about AFN’s decision, Peltola’s campaign responded by criticizing prior comments from Begich that pointed out Peltola’s absences from congressional votes.
“We are glad AFN is not choosing to host a forum with a candidate who has routinely put down Mary for partaking in Alaska Native traditions important to her community and for celebrating the life of a loved one after her husband passed away,” said Shannon Mason, a spokesperson for the campaign.
“Mary is proud to have earned AFN’s endorsement in the last election and hopes to do so again in 2024,” Mason said.
