The major candidates running for Alaska’s U.S. House seat squared off Thursday night in a debate in Anchorage, drawing out contrasts on abortion rights and presidential elections, and in personal style.
Democratic Congresswoman Mary Peltola made a forceful case for ensuring women have the right to end their pregnancies, especially because their lives are on the line.
“Being pregnant and delivering a baby is one of the most lethal things a woman can do in her lifetime,” Peltola said. “This is one of the deadliest propositions a woman can undertake. Myriad things can go wrong, and it is not anyone’s place in D.C. or in the state Legislature to get between a woman and her doctor.”
Republican challenger Nick Begich III said he didn’t support a national law banning abortion, nor one protecting abortion rights. He said each state should decide.
Begich, who has the endorsement of former President Donald Trump, voiced a variation on Trump’s false claim of election fraud. Begich alleged that election rules were changed in swing states in 2020 and that Google suppressed free speech as techniques to produce Joe Biden’s win.
“I think it’s acceptable and reasonable for any American to question, hey, is this reasonable? Is this what we expect in a free and fair election?” he said. “And I think the answer is a clear no.”
In other parts of the debate, Begich, a tech entrepreneur, spoke in business terms, about T-bills, liquidity and using cryptocurrency “as a hedge asset class for a devalued dollar.”
Peltola more often exuded empathy, such as for homeless children and victims of disaster and war. To a question about balancing gun rights and school safety, she said the common thread linking school shootings was an isolated perpetrator.
“We need to make sure that every child — every child in our community, every child in our school — feels seen and heard,” she said.
Begich raised competitive youth shooting leagues as a solution to school shootings.
“I believe that training responsible firearm ownership at an early age is a great way to push back against the risk that was just described,” he said.
As she has before, Peltola declined to endorse Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for president, or say whom she’d vote for. She said she’s running her own race.
“I don’t know why I would use up any of my gas on a race I don’t have any control over,” she said.
Debate for the State was broadcast from Alaska Public Media’s studio in collaboration with Alaska’s News Source.
After the broadcast ended, the candidates traded notes on the rigors of debating and campaign travel. They shook hands, and both said they wished they’d remembered to do that while the cameras were still rolling.
Liz Ruskin is the Washington, D.C., correspondent at Alaska Public Media. Reach her at lruskin@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Liz here.
