Former Alaska Representative Don Young’s widow supports candidate to succeed her late husband

EXCLUSIVE — The widow of former Alaska GOP Rep. Don Young is weighing in on the race to replace her late husband, giving crucial support to a Republican candidate seeking to flip the seat held by Rep. Mary Peltola (D-AK).

Anne Garland Young is endorsing Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom for Alaska’s sole House seat, the campaign first announced to the Washington Examiner. The endorsement is likely to give Dahlstrom a boost in one of the most competitive races of the 2024 cycle.

“[Dahlstrom] is the only candidate my husband, Congressman Don Young would be supporting,” Anne Young said in a statement. “She is an active, experienced, and competent leader in Alaska already, and I know that her integrity and proven representative skills will uniquely serve our state in Congress.”

Anne Young’s backing is the latest in a string of high-profile endorsements for Dahlstrom, who already has the support of top House Republicans such as Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA), Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN), and House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY). Dahlstrom has also been endorsed by Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R-AK).

“It is an absolute honor to receive the trust and support of Anne. I stepped up to run this campaign because I saw our current representative failing to live up to the standard and legacy Congressman Young set,” Dahlstrom said. “My promise to Alaska is that I will fight for our state with the same ferocity, passion, and conviction that Don Young did and I will never compromise Alaska’s needs and values.”

“Nancy is the person Alaska needs with the values Alaskans share,” Anne Young said. “She will stand up for Alaska in every way, just as my husband did.”

Dahlstrom is looking to unseat Peltola, who managed to flip the seat in Democrats’ favor in 2022 after defeating former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. Peltola’s win marked the first time Democrats flipped the seat in 50 years.

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Don Young previously held the seat before his death in March 2022. He was the longest-serving House Republican in U.S. history.

Dahlstrom faces Peltola and one other Republican candidate, Nicholas Begich, in the state’s primary election in August. The state operates under a top-four primary election, meaning the top four candidates on the ballot advance to the general election.