I genuinely forgot that Sarah Palin was running for office this year? There was a special election in Alaska to fill the state’s one congressional seat, following the death of Rep. Don Young. Young, a Republican, had served as Alaska’s lone congressman for almost 50 years before he passed away in March. So the state held a special election and it came down to Democratic candidate Mary Peltola versus whackjob Sarah Palin. Peltola won.

In an upset with the potential to reverberate nationally, Mary Peltola has won a special House election in Alaska, according to The Associated Press, and will finish the remaining few months of the term of Representative Don Young.

Ms. Peltola, a Democratic former state lawmaker and Alaska Native, defeated two other candidates who survived the raucous special primary election in June: Sarah Palin, the former Alaska governor and Republican vice-presidential nominee, and Nicholas Begich III, a Republican from the state’s most prominent Democratic political family. Voters participated in a new system, ranking the three in order of preference.

At 49, Ms. Peltola will become the first Alaska Native to serve in Congress and the first woman to hold the House seat, albeit only temporarily — unless she wins a full term in November.

[From The NY Times]

The Times notes that Palin and Peltola have actually known each other for years and they served in Alaska’s state house together. They’re apparently somewhat friendly, and Peltola ran a very positive campaign, especially compared to the array of batshittery from the state and national GOP. It does feel like… some stuff is happening and even current polling hasn’t reflected that. There will be so many new voters this year because of the Dobbs decision. Despite the GOP’s gloom and doom, Dark Brandon is getting sh-t done and making people’s lives better. Anyway, just another reminder… voting works. Vote.

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