ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – It was an event full of Republican rallying cries for those hoping to turn Alaska fully red on election day.
About 150 Republican activists gathered at a Alaska Republican Party event at the Anchorage Baptist Temple Sunday afternoon to rally the get-out-the-vote effort for GOP candidates.
The message was loud and clear to those in attendance, especially regarding the state’s congressional contest — rank the red.
The “rank the red” message references Alaska’s newest voting method which scrapped the previous way of choosing just one candidate. Now, Alaska voters will select at least one candidate on the ballot and can rank all four candidates if they choose. Many Republican candidates have asked voters to stack GOP names in the top selections in order to stack percentages against candidates of other parties.
With both Republican candidates for Alaska’s at-large seat, Nick Begich and Sarah Palin, speaking to the crowd, party leaders focused attention on the need for Republicans to choose a favorite and then rank the other Republican second.
In her brief remarks, Palin focused on making better use of the state’s natural resources.
“It’s all about drill, baby, drill,” Palin said. “We need to have access to our resources in order to supply the rest of the U.S.”
Fellow Republican U.S. House candidate Begich told the audience that he is honored to have the endorsement of the Republican Party.
“We’re a red state, folks. We should not have a Democrat in office,” Begich said, referring to current at-large Rep. Mary Peltola. “Let’s take this state back. Let’s take this country back.”
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy is seeking his second term. He warned the group that Democrats will get their voters out on Tuesday and Republicans must do the same.
“We have the numbers here in the state of Alaska,” Dunleavy said. “That’s why we’re still right of center. That’s why we’re still a red state. We have the numbers in Alaska, but only if we exercise our right — you might say our obligation — to vote, to be perfectly honest with you.”
Kelly Tshibaka is running to replace fellow Republican and incumbent Senate candidate Lisa Murkowski. She said she decided to run because she was angry over the direction of state and national politics.
“I had to do something more than just sit on my sofa and scream at the television,” Tshibaka said. “Because it’s time for Alaskans with courage and common sense to rise together and lead our state and our nation forward.”
Murkowski did not attend Sunday’s event.
More than a dozen other Republican candidates in state House and state Senate races also addressed the crowd Sunday. After the speeches ended, most of the candidates stuck around to talk to those in attendance and pose for pictures.
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