Midterm roundup: Sarah Palin advances in Alaska special election

Former Alaska GOP Gov. Sarah Palin advanced to the special election to replace the late GOP Rep. Don Young, NBC News’ Decision Desk projected, after Saturday’s special election primary. The election was the state’s first test of its Top 4 primary system in which the top four vote-getters, regardless of party, advance to the general election, where the winner is chosen through ranked choice. The special election to replace Young will be held Aug. 16.

In addition to Palin, who had Trump’s endorsement in the race, the Decision Desk projected two other candidates would advance to the special election: Republican Nick Begich, the grandson of the late Democratic Rep. Nick Begich who has the Alaska GOP’s endorsement; and surgeon Al Gross, the nonpartisan former Senate candidate. Who will win the fourth spot is still unclear. 

Palin received 30 percent of the vote with (72 percent in), while Begich had 19 percent and Gross had 13 percent. As of 7:00 a.m. ET on Monday, the next highest vote-getters included former Democratic state Rep. Mary Peltola, who has 8 percent; Republican Tara Sweeney, an Alaska Native woman who served as assistant secretary for Indian Affairs and was Young’s campaign co-chair, who has 5 percent; and a Democratic socialist named Santa Claus who also has 5 percent. 

Elsewhere on the campaign trail:

Alabama Senate: Former President Donald Trump endorsed Katie Britt, the former chief of staff to Alabama GOP Sen. Richard Shelby, in her June 21 primary runoff against Trump’s former pick, Rep. Mo Brooks. Trump had previously called her “not in any way qualified” when he sought to cut her down when he had been backing Brooks. 

Florida Senate: Politico reports on how, so far, Democratic Rep. Val Demings is trying to catch fire in a state that appears to be slipping away from Democrats, while the outlet also reports on how GOP Sen. Marco Rubio is embracing his “low-key side.” 

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Georgia Senate: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that GOP Senate nominee Herschel Walker on at least four occasions claimed he worked in law enforcement, including one 2019 claim he was an FBI agent, despite no evidence he did so (his campaign says he spent a week at an FBI school). 

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAbdul El-Sayed tries to woo MAHA voters as Democrats seek inroads with RFK’s supporters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP super PAC increases its spending for Sen. Jon Husted in tough Ohio race

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FOR SUBSCRIBERSOpenAI CEO Sam Altman to skip congressional hearing on rogue AI agents

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKey DOJ lawyers departed Trump ‘grand conspiracy’ probe amid pressure to produce, source says

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump’s new AI chatbot often links to a site launched under Clinton 26 years ago

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAt MAHA summit, industry CEOs the movement once vilified take the stage

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThis Paralympian has two goals: Win medals and give away $500,000 to her teammates

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation spotlights stringent New York state laws that have long drawn criticism

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FOR SUBSCRIBERSDecades-old march dispute reignites in Northern Ireland, threatening political crisis

Nevada Senate: Former Republican state Attorney General Adam Laxalt and his allies in Trumpworld are circling the wagons ahead of Tuesday’s primary, deploying money and surrogates to the state in the final days. 

Illinois Governor: Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s new spot features his top GOP rival, Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin, singing Pritzker’s praises on issues like the pandemic and prioritizing diverse communities. 

New York Governor: Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi is up with another ad attacking Gov. Kathy Hochul for her past support from the National Rifle Association and for her record in Congress on guns. In other Democratic primary news, Hochul won the backing of the New York Times editorial board in the primary. And on the GOP side, Rep. Lee Zeldin and businessman Harry Wilson are up with new ads attacking their primary opponents. 

Arizona-01: A new ad from GOP businessman Elijah Norton attacks Republican Rep. David Schweikert for admitting to the ethics violations that dogged him for years.