Rep. Don Young (R) fended off an unexpectedly strong challenge from independent public education activist Alyse Gavin to keep Alaska's lone House seat. With 88 percent of precincts reporting, Young led Gavin, who won the Democratic nomination, 54 percent to 46 percent. Young, 85, is the "Dean of the House," or its longest-serving member. "He was first elected in 1973 and has represented Alaska for about three-quarters of the time it has been a state," The Washington Post notes.
After polls showed a tight race, the House GOP super PAC the Congressional Leadership Fund dumped a late six-figure investment into the race. Young won re-election by 14 percentage points in 2016, and President Trump won the state by 15 points. Young said his long experience in Congress was a plus, while Gavin argued he was out of touch with constituents.
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.
-
Should lying in politics be a criminal offence?Today's Big Question Welsh government considers new crime of deliberate deception by an elected official
-
Store closings could accelerate throughout 2025Under the Radar Major brands like Macy's and Walgreens are continuing to shutter stores
-
Crossword: February 20, 2025The Week's daily crossword
-
Trump officials try to reverse DOGE-led firingsSpeed Read Mass firings by Elon Musk's team have included employees working on the H5N1 bird flu epidemic and US nuclear weapons programs
-
Trump blames Ukraine for war after US-Russia talksSpeed Read The US and Russia have agreed to work together on ending the Ukraine war — but President Trump has flipped America's approach
-
Musk's DOGE seeks access to IRS, Social Security filesSpeed Read If cleared, the Department of Government Efficiency would have access to tax returns, bank records and other highly personal information about most Americans
-
Senate confirms RFK Jr. as health secretarySpeed Read The noted vaccine skeptic is now in charge of America's massive public health system
-
Trump lays out plans for broad 'reciprocal' tariffsSpeed Read Tariffs imposed on countries that are deemed to be treating the US unfairly could ignite a global trade war and worsen American inflation
-
Top US prosecutors resign rather than drop Adams casespeed 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
-
Senate confirms Gabbard as intelligence chiefSpeed Read The controversial former Democratic lawmaker, now Trump loyalist, was sworn in as director of national intelligence
-
Trump, Putin plan Ukraine peace talks without KyivSpeed Read President Donald Trump spoke by phone to Russian President Vladimir Putin, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was not included
