West
Battle for The Last Frontier: Republicans look to take back historically GOP-held House seat in Alaska
Rep. Mary Peltola, the first Democrat to represent Alaska in the House in nearly 50 years, is looking to retain her post in Congress after flipping the seat from red to blue in 2022.
It’s been more than a year since Peltola, who previously served for a decade as a member of the Alaska state House, was sworn in as the singular voice for Alaskans in the U.S. House of Representatives. Her purported loyalty to her party, however, has left Peltola unable to address constituent concerns on Capitol Hill, according to two leading Republicans who are looking to oust her from Congress.
“Voters are furious,” Alaska GOP congressional candidate Nick Begich III told Fox News Digital about Peltola’s performance in office thus far.
Peltola first won election to the House in an August 2022 special election to replace 49-year GOP incumbent Don Young, who died five months prior. She went on to win the state’s general election later that year to serve for a full term.
HOUSE GOP CAMPAIGN ARM LAUNCHES AD BLASTING ALASKA DEMOCRAT FOR VOTING AGAINST MILITARY PAY RAISE
Alaska at-large congressional candidates from left to right: Nick Begich III, Rep. Mary Peltola, Alaska Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom. (Getty Images, Nancy Dahlstrom campaign)
“She was able to run a campaign that was pretty moderate in its tone and tenor in 2022,” Begich said of Peltola. “She liked to continuously invoke Don Young, our late congressman, as a central part of her campaign messaging. But the reality is she’s not voting anything like Don Young would have ever voted.”
Begich, whose father represented the state’s at-large congressional district in the early ’70s, previously ran to represent Alaska in the House during the 2022 election cycle.
Pointing to Peltola’s congressional record, Begich insisted the congresswoman’s actions had contributed to the inflationary pressure felt around the country, saying she “never saw a spending package she didn’t love.”
“She’s a big government, big spending liberal Democrat,” the Alaska native said. “She has no interest in balancing the budget, no interest in assuring that our nation has a fiscal foundation that’s solid going forward. She’s simply interested in finding any and all packages that will allow her to buy votes back home.”
Highlighting what he believes landed Peltola in Congress, Begich, who has received endorsements from Florida GOP Rep. Byron Donalds and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, said she “ran ostensibly as the outsider candidate, but has immediately become the D.C. insider candidate.”
“She continues to see government as the ultimate solution to life’s problems,” Begich added of the Alaska lawmaker. “She does not believe in the importance of the private sector. … She seems to believe that the private sector is the enemy and the government is your friend. I couldn’t disagree with her more.”
Like Begich, Alaska Republican Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom, who announced her campaign to unseat Peltola last November, said she believes Peltola’s congressional record has proven she isn’t what Alaskans need.
“We like Mary as a person, but we don’t like her voting record. She’s not speaking for Alaskans,” Dahlstrom told Fox.
ALASKA MAN INVOLVED IN VIOLENT KILLING CAPTURED ON STOLEN MEMORY CARD FOUND GUILTY OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER
Rep. Mary Peltola, D-Alaska, poses for a portrait in her office on Capitol Hill on July 27, 2023, in Washington, D.C. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Dahlstrom said her values differ from those held by the congresswoman and pointed to Peltola’s support for Biden’s re-election bid as proof of that. During a December appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Peltola claimed Biden’s “mental acuity is very, very on” and that he’s one of the “smartest, sharpest people” she met in D.C.
“I am a much more law and order person,” Dahlstrom said. “My values and Mary’s values are a little bit different. Mary has endorsed Biden for re-election, and I think that Mr. Biden needs to go.”
“Mary’s a nice lady, but we need a strong, strong candidate who wants to keep our country safe and lets us start prospering again,” added Dahlstrom, whose campaign has received endorsements from Alaska Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.
Peltola — who serves as chair of the Blue Dog Coalition, a self-described group of “fiscally-responsible Democrats” — has faced criticism for a number of actions she’s taken in the House since joining Congress. Last October, she voted against H.R. 4394, an appropriations bill that included $26 million in critical funding for multiple Alaska port projects, including more than $12.5 million for the port in Anchorage.
“Unfortunately, Peltola’s vote against the appropriations bill jeopardizes the timely completion of these critical repairs,” Bill Ball, an Alaska engineer and surveyor with four decades of experience, recalled at the time in an op-ed for the Anchorage Daily News. “By casting a ‘nay’ vote, she essentially signaled to her colleagues in Congress that Alaska’s port infrastructure is not a priority. This perception could make it significantly more challenging to secure the federal funding we need to address these pressing challenges.”
“Peltola indicated she voted against the bill because she believed it to defund the Denali Commission — this proved incorrect, as the bill in fact contained full funding for the Denali Commission. But regardless of her reasons, her vote against it has inadvertently undermined the efforts of her colleagues to secure funding for vital Alaska projects,” Ball added.
Alaska GOP chair Ann Brown echoed both Begich and Dahlstrom in criticizing Peltola, insisting that her sole representation of the state has been “one embarrassment after another.”
“Living in Alaska, D.C. can help or hurt us. Having Mary Peltola as our sole Representative has been one embarrassment after another,” Brown told Fox News Digital. “Rep. Peltola has served the interests of lower 48 progressives by attacking our way of life, our jobs, and our businesses. Particularly, Alaska is home to many military families and veterans, which is why her vote against a military pay raise and VA funding last year was so devastating.”
ALASKA FACES TEACHER SHORTAGE AS EDUCATION FUNDING DEBATE DOMINATES LEGISLATURE
Women of Impact honorees Ashley Biden, Elena Velez, Rep. Mary Peltola and Oriaku Njoku attend the Women of Impact Celebration hosted by ELLE at Ciel Social Club on April 28, 2023, in Washington, DC. (Paul Morigi/Getty Images for ELLE)
She said it’s clear to her that Peltola is “more interested in serving the interests of the Biden administration than the interests of everyday Alaskans,” adding that the lawmaker “has given her full-throated endorsement to a presidential candidate whose dwindling mental acuity is obvious.”
The Republican campaign to oust Peltola from office is an effort that’s also being championed by the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) and the Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF), both of which are working to help the Republican Party maintain its majority in the House.
The at-large congressional district in Alaska is one of more than three dozen seats identified by the NRCC as “prime pick-up” opportunities for Republicans in 2024. Last year, the House GOP campaign arm launched an ad targeting Peltola for voting against a military pay increase.
The ad, which was titled “Under Attack” and targeted to military bases throughout Alaska, says our “soldiers are under attack” and blasted Peltola for her vote last year against the House defense appropriations package that included a 5.2% pay raise for the troops.
Additionally, the ad hit Peltola for voting en bloc against a funding bill for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and veterans’ benefits with other House Democrats.
“Alaska represents one of Republicans’ best pickup opportunities as a red state represented by Joe Biden’s chief enabler in Congress,” NRCC spokesperson Ben Petersen told Fox News Digital. “Mary Peltola broke her promises and instead sided with Biden and extreme liberals’ agenda destroying Alaska, which is why Alaskans will elect a strong Republican this fall.”
Similar to that of the NRCC, the CLF is also expected to target Peltola with thousands of dollars worth of digital ads later this spring.
“Mary Peltola presents herself as above the political fray, but her record tells the real story. Peltola has repeatedly rubber-stamped Biden’s disastrous policies that harm Alaskans way of life,” Courtney Parella, CLF’s communications director, told Fox.
Alaska Democrat Rep. Mary Peltola, center, attends a vote for Speaker of the House at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on October 17, 2023.
Peltola’s campaign did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Alaska’s primary election, which will use ranked-choice voting, is slated to take place on August 24. The four candidates who receive the most votes, regardless of party affiliation, will move on to the state’s general election on Nov. 5.
Alaska voters in 2020 approved the switch to open primaries and having ranked voting in general elections. Alaskans for Better Elections was behind that successful push. Supporters of ranked voting say it gives voters more choice and encourages candidates who need a coalition of support to win to move away from negative campaigning. Opponents claim the process is confusing.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Read the full article from Here
Wyoming
Meyer’s Late Score Lifts Wyoming past Air Force – SweetwaterNOW
LARAMIE — Nasir Meyer converted a three-point play with 35 seconds remaining to give Wyoming Cowboys men’s basketball the lead for good, and Wyoming held Air Force Falcons men’s basketball scoreless over the final two minutes to secure a 66-62 victory Saturday night.
The win marked the 13th home victory of the season for Wyoming, which improved to 16-13 overall and 7-11 in conference play.
“Air Force deserves all the credit and let’s talk about a team that has every reason not to fight, but thats why they are Air Force and the cadets and I have a lot of respect for them,” Wyoming coach Sundance Wicks said. “They were not going to quit, and I didn’t drive that message home enough and hats off to Air Force because they deserved to win. We snuck away with a win. Adam Harakow showed when we need him and he was massive for us. Simm-Marten was made big plays and Naz was clutch for us late.”
Advertisement – Story continues below…
University of Wyoming sports coverage
in Southwest Wyoming is supported by these great sponsors:
Wyoming shot 35% from the field and went 7 of 28 from 3-point range, making just two from beyond the arc in the second half. Air Force shot 49% overall and 44% from 3, hitting eight shots from long distance. The Cowboys made 13 of 16 free throws (81%) and scored 22 points off 15 Air Force turnovers while holding a 39-36 edge in rebounding.
Damarion Dennis led Wyoming with 16 points and three assists, going 7 of 8 from the free-throw line. Meyer finished with 14 points and tied a career best with eight rebounds. Adam Harakow added 14 points off the bench on 5-of-6 shooting, his first double-figure scoring game since the first meeting with Air Force. Simm-Marten Saadi had nine points in 13 minutes, and Kiani Saxon grabbed seven rebounds.
Air Force opened with back-to-back 3-pointers to take a 6-0 lead. Meyer scored Wyoming’s first basket, and Leland Walker added a 3-pointer to make it 8-5 with 16 minutes left in the first half.
Wyoming responded with a 9-0 run over nearly four minutes, with Saadi and Harakow each connecting from beyond the arc to give the Cowboys an 11-8 lead with under 14 minutes remaining. Air Force regained a 12-11 advantage as Wyoming went scoreless for more than two minutes.
Harakow’s second 3-pointer pushed the lead to 22-16 with nine minutes left in the half, and Wyoming used a 6-0 run while holding the Falcons without a field goal for more than four minutes to build a 28-18 lead with six minutes remaining. The Cowboys closed the half on a defensive stand, keeping Air Force scoreless for the final two minutes to take a 35-25 lead into the break. Wyoming scored 15 first-half points off turnovers.
The teams traded 3-pointers early in the second half, and Air Force cut the deficit to 40-31 with under 17 minutes left before trimming it to seven 90 seconds later. Walker answered with a 3-pointer to make it 43-33 with 15 minutes to go.
Air Force used a 9-0 run during a stretch in which Wyoming went more than 3 1/2 minutes without a point to pull within one with nine minutes left. The Falcons later tied the game at 51-51 with 5:30 remaining after forcing six straight missed shots.
A pair of free throws by Meyer and a basket from Saadi gave Wyoming a 57-53 lead with under four minutes to play. Air Force answered with three consecutive 3-pointers from Kam Sanders to take a 62-59 lead with two minutes left.
Meyer scored with 90 seconds remaining to cut the deficit to one. On the next trip, he converted an and-one to give Wyoming a 64-62 lead with 35 seconds left. The Cowboys added late free throws to close out the 66-62 win.
Sanders led Air Force with 16 points and nine rebounds, going 4 of 5 from 3-point range. Eli Robinson added 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting.
Wyoming closes its home schedule Tuesday against Nevada Wolf Pack men’s basketball at 8 p.m. as part of a doubleheader with the Cowgirls.
West
LAPD officer hit with felony charges after allegedly skydiving while collecting full disability benefits
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Officials on Wednesday accused a Los Angeles police officer of insurance fraud after he allegedly went skydiving multiple times while collecting full disability benefits.
Christopher Brandon Carnahan, 43, of Norwalk, was charged Monday after allegedly exaggerating an on-duty injury sustained in 2023, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Carnahan is a veteran officer who has been with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) 18 years, according to WatchTheWatchers.net, citing California public records.
“This case is about honesty and accountability,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said in a statement.
Christopher Brandon Carnahan appears to skydive at Skydive Elsinore in Lake Elsinore. (District Attorney’s Office for the Los Angeles County District)
“Claiming to be temporarily totally disabled and collecting disability benefits intended for injured workers while engaging in physically demanding activities like skydiving is a crime. This is an officer who knows the law and understands the standards he is sworn to uphold.”
On May 22, 2023, Carnahan claimed he injured his left elbow while on duty and was subsequently placed on temporary totally disabled (TTD) status, officials said.
Police under TTD are entitled to receive 100% of their base salary tax-free for up to a year and then two-thirds afterward if the injury persists.
EX-ERIC ADAMS STAFFER WHO CELEBRATED CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION POCKETED $36K IN BRIBERY, FRAUD CASES: FEDS
Surveillance footage captures Carnahan working out at a fitness center with dumbbells. (District Attorney’s Office for the Los Angeles County District)
Contrary to claims of being completely disabled, Carnahan allegedly engaged in strenuous physical activity, including working out and completing “many skydives” at Skydive Elsinore in Lake Elsinore, south of Los Angeles.
The District Attorney’s Office also released photos showing what appears to be Carnahan skydiving and exercising at a fitness center. In one image, dated May 23, 2024, the LAPD officer is seen holding dumbbells in a motion that involves his elbows.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
A Los Angeles Police Department vehicle is parked in the city. (Los Angeles Police Department)
He faces two counts of felony insurance fraud and is being held on $100,000 bail. If convicted, Carnahan could be sentenced to six years in jail.
The LAPD, which is investigating the case, is expected to review Carnahan’s employment status pending the outcome of his criminal trial.
Read the full article from Here
San Francisco, CA
Hundreds Rally in San Francisco Against U.S.-Israel Strikes on Iran | KQED
She acknowledged that Iranian Americans hold a range of political views, including some who support U.S. intervention, but said she believes the future of Iran should be determined by its people.
“The Iranian people in Iran can decide the future of their country,” she said. “War, I don’t think, is going to help.”
Speaking to the crowd, Mortazavi challenged what she described as a narrative that Iranians broadly support U.S. and Israeli military action.
“They want you to believe that every Iranian … is cheering on the United States and Israel,” she said. “That is unequivocally false.”
She urged attendees to continue organizing beyond the rally and announced plans for additional demonstrations.
Dina Saadeh, an organizer with the Palestinian Youth Movement, said multiple groups mobilized quickly in response to the strikes.
“I’m angered today,” Saadeh told KQED. “People here don’t want to see our country engaged in more endless war.”
Saadeh described the protest as part of a broader effort to oppose sanctions, military escalation and what she called U.S. imperialism. She said participants were calling on elected officials to redirect public funds toward domestic needs.
“People want money for jobs and education, not for war and occupation,” she said.
KQED’s María Fernanda Bernal contributed to this story.
-
World4 days agoExclusive: DeepSeek withholds latest AI model from US chipmakers including Nvidia, sources say
-
Massachusetts4 days agoMother and daughter injured in Taunton house explosion
-
Montana1 week ago2026 MHSA Montana Wrestling State Championship Brackets And Results – FloWrestling
-
Denver, CO4 days ago10 acres charred, 5 injured in Thornton grass fire, evacuation orders lifted
-
Louisiana7 days agoWildfire near Gum Swamp Road in Livingston Parish now under control; more than 200 acres burned
-
Technology1 week agoYouTube TV billing scam emails are hitting inboxes
-
Politics1 week agoOpenAI didn’t contact police despite employees flagging mass shooter’s concerning chatbot interactions: REPORT
-
Technology1 week agoStellantis is in a crisis of its own making