AK-HD38: In Southwest Alaska, a House race poses a choice about how to best meet rural needs

In a sprawling rural district that is the Alaska region with the highest poverty level, a freshman legislator from the population hub is defending his seat against a political newcomer from one of the outlying villages and a perennial challenger from a different village.

Rep. CJ McCormick, D-Bethel, acknowledges that he had ground to make up after finishing well behind fellow Democrat Nellie Jimmie of Toksook Bay in the Aug. 20 primary election. Jimmie, who is mounting her first try at elected office, had 43.8% of the vote in the open primary for the seat to represent House District 38. McCormick, a former Bethel City Council member, wound up with 28.3%. Two other candidates split the rest of the vote. All are the general election ballot, likely making Alaska’s system of ranked choice voting key to the outcome.

Both McCormick and Jimmie are Democrats running in an overwhelmingly Democratic district, but they present some contrasts

McCormick has won support from many of his legislative colleagues and several labor unions, while Jimmie has the backing of Calista Corp. and Andrew Guy, the president and chief executive officer of that regional Native for-profit corporation.




https://alaskabeacon.com/2024/10/22/in-southwest-alaska-a-house-race-poses-a-choice-about-how-to-best-meet-rural-needs/