Mary Peltola: 1st Alaska Native In Congress, Wins Full Term

U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola has been elected to a full term in the House, months after the Alaska Democrat won a special election to the seat following the death earlier this year of longtime Republican Rep. Don Young.

Peltola defeated Republicans Sarah Palin and Nick Begich, as well as Libertarian Chris Bye in the Nov. 8 election.

Palin and Begich also were candidates in the special election.

Peltola, who is Yup’ik, with her win in August became the first Alaska Native to serve in Congress and the first woman to hold Alaska’s House seat.

The win also buoyed her fundraising, outpacing those of her rivals in the lead-up to this month’s election.