US media project that Sarah Palin, a Republican seeking a political comeback, would compete in the November election for the Alaska House of Representatives.
Her opponents are the Republicans Nick Begich III and Mary Peltola. The fourth candidate is yet unknown.
Ms. Palin, 58, rose to fame as a vice-presidential candidate in 2008.
She mainly withdrew from public view before the 2016 election of Donald Trump, who has since become her most important ally and backer.
This year, open primaries have replaced party primaries in Alaska, with the top four candidates advancing to the general election.
Ms. Palin is also running in a separate special election to fill the final five months of the 49-year term of Republican Don Young, who passed away in March.
This contest, in which voters utilized the new ranked-choice system, is too close to call at this time.
In 2008, Ms. Palin served as the running mate for Arizona Senator John McCain, who has since become a vociferous Republican critic of Mr. Trump.
In addition, she served as the governor of Alaska from 2006 until 2009
Her fiery conservatism and anti-establishment appeal prompted many to view her as Mr. Trump’s political predecessor.
Mr. Begich is a renowned Democratic family member and software entrepreneur. The family of Ms. Palin’s ex-husband, whom she divorced in 2020 after 31 years of marriage, reportedly organized a fundraiser for Mr. Begich over the weekend.
Ms. Peltola is a former state legislator and campaigner for improved salmon protections in Alaska. If she is elected, she will be the first Alaska Native to represent the state in Washington.
In the nation’s largest state, it could take until the end of August to count the votes in the upcoming special election.
Under the new voting rules, only voters’ initial selections will be counted initially. If none of the three candidates receives more than 50% of the vote, second-choice votes will be counted and the candidate in third-to-last place will be disqualified and their votes will be redistributed.
In Alaska’s Senate race, 65-year-old Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski has advanced to the November election. In 2021, she supported Mr. Trump’s conviction in his second impeachment trial.
She is the only Republican senator up for reelection this year out of the seven who voted to convict the former president.
One of Ms. Murkowski’s opponents will be the 42-year-old Trump-backed candidate Kelly Tshibaka.
Mr. Trump traveled to Alaska to host a campaign rally for her and Sarah Palin last month.
