Bethel is a city in the U.S. state of Alaska,located on the Kuskokwim River approximately 50 miles (80 km) from where the river discharges into Kuskokwim Bay. It is the largest community in western Alaska and in the Unorganized Borough and the eighth-largest in the state. Bethel has a population of 6,325 as of the 2020 census,up from 6,080 in 2010.
Donald Edwin Young was an American politician in Alaska. He was the longest-serving Republican in House history,having been the U.S. representative for Alaska's at-large congressional district for 49 years,from 1973 until his death in 2022.
Nicholas Joseph Begich Sr. was an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Alaska. He is presumed to have died in the crash of a light aircraft in Alaska in 1972;his body was never found. He was a member of the Democratic Party.
Mark Peter Begich is an American politician who served as a United States senator from Alaska from 2009 to 2015. A member of the Democratic Party,he previously served as mayor of Anchorage from 2003 to 2009.
The 2008 United States Senate election in Alaska was held on November 4,2008. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator and former President pro tempore Ted Stevens ran for re-election for an eighth term in the United States Senate. It was one of the ten Senate races that U.S. Senator John Ensign of Nevada,the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee,predicted as being most competitive. The primaries were held on August 26,2008. Stevens was challenged by Democratic candidate Mark Begich,the mayor of Anchorage and son of former U.S. Representative Nick Begich.
Lyman F. Hoffman is a Yup'ik politician and registered Democrat who caucuses with the Republicans in the Alaska Senate. He represents the S district since 1995,and from 1991 through 1992 previously. He was a member of the Alaska House of Representatives from 1986 through 1990,and from 1993 through 1994.
Mary Sattler Peltola is an American politician and former tribal judge serving as the U.S. representative from Alaska's at-large congressional district since September 2022. She previously served as a judge on the Orutsararmiut Native Council's tribal court,executive director of the Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission,Bethel city councillor and member of the Alaska House of Representatives.
Rita Pitka Blumenstein was the first certified traditional doctor in Alaska. She worked for the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium. Blumenstein was a member of the International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers—a group of spiritual elders,medicine women and wisdom keepers—since its founding in 2004.
The 2014 United States Senate election in Alaska took place on November 4,2014,to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Alaska,concurrently with the election of the governor of Alaska,as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.
The 2018 Alaska gubernatorial election took place on November 6,2018,to elect the governor and lieutenant governor of Alaska. In the primaries for recognized political parties,candidates for governor and lieutenant governor run separately. The winners of each respective primary for governor and lieutenant governor then become a joint ticket in the general election for their political party. Incumbent independent governor Bill Walker was running for re-election in what was originally a three-way race between Walker,Republican former state senator Mike Dunleavy,and Democratic nominee Mark Begich,a former U.S. Senator. However,Walker dropped out on October 19,2018,and endorsed Begich. In spite of Walker dropping out,Dunleavy defeated Begich in what would become the only gubernatorial gain by a Republican candidate in 2018. Walker later unsuccessfully ran for Governor of Alaska in 2022.
Zach Fansler is an American politician. He served on the Bethel City Council from 2014 to 2016,and in the Alaska House of Representatives from the 38th District from 2017 to 2018. He was first elected to the House in 2016,defeating Majority Whip Bob Herron in the Democratic primary. Fansler resigned on February 12,2018,due to allegations of assault.
Andrea Rose Salinas is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for Oregon's 6th congressional district since 2023. Oregon's 6th congressional district includes all of Yamhill and Polk counties,the part of Marion County that includes Salem and Woodburn,a small piece of Beaverton,and the suburban communities to the southwest of Portland,including Tigard,Tualatin and Sherwood.
Valerie Nurr'araaluk Davidson is an American politician who briefly served as the 13th lieutenant governor of Alaska,from October to December 2018. She was sworn in after Byron Mallott's abrupt resignation from the post on October 16,2018. In April 2020,Davidson became the 12th president of Alaska Pacific University. She is the first woman to serve as president of the university. In March 2021,Davidson became interim president of Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium.
The 2021 United States elections were held in large part on Tuesday,November 2,2021. This off-year election included the regular gubernatorial elections in New Jersey and Virginia. In addition,state legislative elections were held for the New Jersey Legislature and Virginia House of Delegates,along with numerous state legislative special elections,citizen initiatives,mayoral races,and a variety of other local elections. Six special elections to the United States House of Representatives also took place on November 2 or earlier as a result of either deaths or vacancies. The first of these was held on March 20.
The November 2022 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska was held on Tuesday,November 8,to elect a member of the United States House of Representatives to represent the state of Alaska. Democratic incumbent Mary Peltola won reelection to a full term in office,defeating Republicans Sarah Palin and Nick Begich III and Libertarian Chris Bye in the runoff count.
The 31st Alaska State Legislature represented the legislative branch of Alaska's state government from January 15,2019,to January 18,2021. Its initial 60-person membership was set by the 2018 Alaska elections,though two members subsequently died in office and two resigned their seats,requiring replacements appointed by Alaska governor Mike Dunleavy.
The 2022 Alaska's at-large congressional district special election was held on August 16,2022. Democrat Mary Peltola won the open seat,thereby becoming the first of her party to win a U.S. House election in Alaska since 1972. Peltola,who is a Yup'ik woman,is the first Alaska Native elected to Congress,and the first woman elected to represent Alaska in the House. She defeated Republican former governor Sarah Palin in the state's first ranked-choice general election.
Orutsararmiut Traditional Native Council (ONC) is the largest tribe in the Bethel,Alaska region. It is a federally recognized tribe and a governing body for the community of Bethel,Alaska.
Eugene R. "Buzzy" Peltola Jr. was an American public servant and naturalist who served as Alaska director for the Bureau of Indian Affairs and manager of the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge. He was the husband of Congresswoman Mary Peltola. Peltola died as the result of a plane crash in September 2023.
