Sarah Palin says she'd fill Alaska's vacant House seat 'in a heartbeat'

Former vice presidential candidate and Alaska governor Sarah Palin (R) told Newsmax on Tuesday that she would be "humbled and honored" to serve in the House of Representatives.
Alaska's sole House seat became vacant on Friday when Rep. Don Young (R) — who had held the seat since 1973 — died at the age of 88.
"If I were asked to serve in the House and take his place, I would be humbled and honored and I would in a heartbeat, I would," Palin said, according to Axios. She also praised Young's "longevity and his passion, his love, his fighting spirit for our wonderful state of Alaska, and for the nation as a whole."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
But the process of replacing Young wouldn't be quite as simple as accepting an offer.
Under the Seventeenth Amendment, Senate vacancies can be filled temporarily by gubernatorial appointment, but vacant House seats must remain vacant until a special election can be held.
Two candidates — Democratic Assemblyman Christopher Constant and Republican Nick Begich III, have already announced their candidacy for the open seat, The Associated Press reported. Begich's grandfather, Nick Begich Sr. (D), preceded Young as the congressman from Alaska. Young won the seat in a special election after Begich died in a plane crash.
Per AP, Alaska law requires that the special election "be held 60 to 90 days after the vacancy occurred," after which the "top four vote-getters in the special primary will advance to a special election in which ranked choice voting will be used."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Grayson Quay was the weekend editor at TheWeek.com. His writing has also been published in National Review, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Modern Age, The American Conservative, The Spectator World, and other outlets. Grayson earned his M.A. from Georgetown University in 2019.
-
Why some people remember dreams and others don't
Under The Radar Age, attitude and weather all play a part in dream recall
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
The Week contest: Hotel seal
Puzzles and Quizzes
By The Week US Published
-
New FBI Director Kash Patel could profit heavily from foreign interests
The Explainer Patel holds more than $1 million in Chinese fashion company Shein
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Trump seeks to end New York's congestion pricing
Speed Read The MTA quickly filed a lawsuit to stop the move
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump officials try to reverse DOGE-led firings
Speed Read Mass firings by Elon Musk's team have included employees working on the H5N1 bird flu epidemic and US nuclear weapons programs
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump blames Ukraine for war after US-Russia talks
Speed Read The US and Russia have agreed to work together on ending the Ukraine war — but President Trump has flipped America's approach
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Musk's DOGE seeks access to IRS, Social Security files
Speed Read If cleared, the Department of Government Efficiency would have access to tax returns, bank records and other highly personal information about most Americans
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Senate confirms RFK Jr. as health secretary
Speed Read The noted vaccine skeptic is now in charge of America's massive public health system
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump lays out plans for broad 'reciprocal' tariffs
Speed Read Tariffs imposed on countries that are deemed to be treating the US unfairly could ignite a global trade war and worsen American inflation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Top US prosecutors resign rather than drop Adams case
speed read The interim US attorney for the Southern District and five senior Justice Department officials quit following an order to drop the charges against Mayor Eric Adams
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Senate confirms Gabbard as intelligence chief
Speed Read The controversial former Democratic lawmaker, now Trump loyalist, was sworn in as director of national intelligence
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published