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Mark Begich

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"Senator Begich" redirects here. For other uses, see Senator Begich (disambiguation).
Mark Begich
Chair of the Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee
In office
January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2015
LeaderHarry Reid
Preceded byDebbie Stabenow
Succeeded byAmy Klobuchar
United States Senator
from Alaska
In office
January 3, 2009 – January 3, 2015
Preceded byTed Stevens
Succeeded byDan Sullivan
34th Mayor of Anchorage
In office
July 1, 2003 – January 3, 2009
Preceded byGeorge Wuerch
Succeeded byDan Sullivan
Chair of the Anchorage Assembly
In office
April 30, 1996 – May 5, 1998
Preceded byCraig Campbell
Succeeded byFay Von Gemmingen
In office
May 4, 1993 – December 7, 1993
Preceded byJames Barnett
Succeeded byDick Traini
Member of the Anchorage Assembly
from Seat H
In office
October 4, 1988 – April 21, 1998
Preceded byBrad Bradley
Succeeded byMelinda Taylor
Personal details
Born
Mark Peter Begich

(1962-03-30) March 30, 1962 (age 62)
Anchorage, Alaska, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
Deborah Bonito
​
(m. 1990)​
Children1
RelativesNick Begich (father)
Tom Begich (brother)
Joseph Begich (uncle)
Begich's voice
Begich's opening statement at a Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee hearing on the Veterans Health Administration
Recorded May 15, 2014

Mark Peter Begich[1] (/ˈbɛɡɪtʃ/ BEGG-itch; born March 30, 1962) is an American politician and lobbyist who served as a United States senator from Alaska from 2009 to 2015. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as mayor of Anchorage from 2003 to 2009.

Begich was born in Anchorage, making him the first U.S. Senator native to the State. He is the son of former U.S. Representative Nick Begich Sr. He was elected to the Anchorage Assembly at the age of 26. He eventually served as chairman for three years, before leaving the Assembly in 1998. Begich ran two unsuccessful campaigns for Mayor of Anchorage in 1994 and 2000 before being elected in 2003. He was reelected in 2006. In the 2008 Senate election, Begich narrowly defeated incumbent Ted Stevens, at the time the longest-serving Republican member of the U.S. Senate.[2]

In the 2014 Senate election, Begich was narrowly defeated in his bid for reelection by former Alaska Attorney General Dan Sullivan.[3][4][5][6] Following completion of his term in the U.S. Senate, Begich started Anchorage-based consulting firm Northern Compass Group. On June 1, 2018, Begich announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Alaska in the 2018 election, facing off against Republican nominee and former state senator Mike Dunleavy. He lost the gubernatorial election by a margin of seven percent.[7]

Early life, education, and early political career

[edit]

Begich was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska.[8] He is the son of Margaret Jean "Pegge" (née Jendro) and former U.S. Representative Nick Begich. His father disappeared in October 1972 during a small plane flight from Anchorage to Juneau, Alaska with then-U.S. House Majority Leader Hale Boggs, but was reelected the next month, while missing, before both were declared legally dead.[9]

The fourth of six children, he has two sisters and three brothers. His paternal grandparents were Croatian; his paternal grandfather, John Begich, immigrated to the United States from Croatia (then part of the empire of Austria-Hungary) in 1911.[10] His mother had Polish, Bohemian (Czech), Dutch, and English ancestry.[11] He attended Steller Secondary School in Anchorage. As an adolescent, he opened an 18-and-under club called "The Motherlode." At the age of 18, he had obtained a business license to sell jewelry and was helping his mother manage a number of real estate properties. Because of his business opportunities, he decided not to go to college.[12]

His mother twice ran against longtime Congressional Representative Don Young in the 1980s, who had filled her late husband's seat in a special election in 1973, losing both times.[13]

At the age of 19, Begich started working in the Anchorage city health department and later worked as a driver for then-Anchorage Mayor Tony Knowles.[12] During the 1988 legislative session, Begich worked as a legislative aide for State Representative Dave Donley. Begich was elected to the Anchorage Assembly in 1988, at age 26, and served until 1998, including three years as chairman and two as vice chairman.[12]

Begich served for a number of years on the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education, including as its chair.[14] In 2001, Governor Tony Knowles appointed Begich to the University of Alaska Board of Regents, but the legislature did not confirm the appointment.[15]

Mayor of Anchorage

[edit]
Begich as mayor of Anchorage

Begich ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 1994 against Rick Mystrom, and in 2000 against then-Assemblyman George Wuerch. In the 2003 mayoral race he narrowly defeated both Mystrom and Wuerch, earning only 11 votes over the number needed to win without a runoff, in accordance with a simultaneously approved law decreasing the threshold needed to avoid such a runoff election from 50 to 45 percent. He was re-elected in April 2006, winning against local advertising and radio personality Jack Frost. Although the office is officially nonpartisan, Begich was the first Democrat to be elected Mayor of the Municipality of Anchorage since Tony Knowles.[12]

Begich was a member of the pro-gun-control group Mayors Against Illegal Guns.[16] Begich left the group in 2007.[17]

U.S. Senate

[edit]

Elections

[edit]

2008

[edit]
Begich campaigning at Pioneer Park in Fairbanks in September 2008
Main article: 2008 United States Senate election in Alaska

On February 27, 2008, Begich announced that he was forming an exploratory committee to run for the United States Senate.[18] After winning the Democratic nomination, he went on to face Republican incumbent Ted Stevens in the general election. Begich was ahead in polls prior to the election. During the campaign, Stevens faced a multiple count indictment on ethics and corruption charges.[19][20][21]

On October 27, 2008, eight days before the general election, Stevens was found guilty by a Washington D.C. federal jury on seven felony counts.[22]

Stevens's conviction was later set aside due to prosecutorial misconduct. Attorney General Eric Holder later declined to retry Stevens on the corruption charges.

In April 2009, Alaska Republican Party chairman Randy Ruedrich issued a call for Begich to resign so a special election could be held. Despite the fact that the charges had been brought by the Bush administration, Ruedrich argued that Begich's win was illegitimate because of "improper influence from the corrupt Department of Justice." The same day Governor Sarah Palin seconded Ruedrich's call, although she later denied having said Begich should resign.[23] Begich said he intended to serve his full six-year term.[24]

On November 18, 2008, the Associated Press called the election for Begich,[25] who was leading and likely to win by more than the 0.5% margin needed to trigger an automatic recount, with the remainder of uncounted ballots originating from the Anchorage area.[26] Stevens conceded the race the next day.[27]

Begich's victory made him Alaska's first Democratic U.S. Senator since Mike Gravel left office in 1981.[28]

2014

[edit]
Main article: 2014 United States Senate election in Alaska

Begich was up for re-election in 2014. He faced William Bryk in the Democratic primary on August 19, 2014, winning 96.7% of the vote. Candidates in the closed Republican primary included Lieutenant Governor Mead Treadwell, who received 25% of the vote; former Alaska Attorney General and Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Daniel S. Sullivan, who won with 40%; 2010 U.S. Senate nominee Joe Miller (32%); and John Jaramillo (3%).[29] Alaska's 2014 U.S. Senate race was considered one of the most competitive congressional races in the nation, with the Cook Political Report rating it a "toss-up."[30][31] In the final Rothenberg Political Report before the election, the Report considered the race a "Toss-up/Tilt Republican."[32]

In August 2014, shortly before the Senate primary, Lisa Murkowski, who served alongside Begich in the U.S. Senate, objected to Begich's use of her image in a campaign advertisement titled "Great Team." Murkowski's law firm sent a cease-and-desist letter, calling the advertisement "factually incorrect." According to Politico, "Begich, running in deep-red Alaska, has sought on several occasions to highlight shared positions with Murkowski. But she is distancing herself."[33][34][35] Begich declined to pull the ad.[36]

According to The New York Times, Alaska's 2014 U.S. Senate race is "potentially pivotal" and "nationally watched." The New York Times reported that in a bid to keep his seat, "Begich will try to attract rural voters and supporters of abortion rights."[37] According to The Washington Post, Begich is campaigning on the idea of expanding Social Security benefits. According to The Washington Post, "Begich is one of a small but growing group of Democratic lawmakers who support the idea of lifting or changing the payroll tax cap, so higher earners pay more while adopting a new measure for inflation that would increase benefits for all seniors."[38]

In August 2014, Begich pulled a campaign ad accusing opponent Dan Sullivan of allowing an alleged murderer and rapist to get off with a light sentence. That claim was proven to be false by fact-checkers.[39] The ad was withdrawn from Alaska television stations following demands from the crime victim's family that the ads were both insensitive and threatened prosecution of a criminal suspect.[40][41][42]

Begich voted against a Republican-sponsored amended in the Senate to strip all funding from President Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program and to prevent the DACA program from being expanded. During the campaign, Sullivan criticized Begich's vote.[43]

On November 17, 2014, Begich conceded the election to Sullivan.[44]

Tenure

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On February 13, 2009, Begich voted to pass the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (commonly referred to as the Stimulus or The Recovery Act).[45]

In 2012, Begich introduced a bill called the Protecting and Preserving Social Security Act. The bill would have lifted the payroll tax cap, raising taxes on those who earn $110,100 or more per year. It did not pass.[46][47]

According to an analysis by Congressional Quarterly in 2013 Begich voted with President Obama 97% of the time.[48]

In March 2013, Begich co-sponsored a bill that would flag individuals attempting to buy guns who have used an insanity defense, were ruled dangerous by a court or had been committed by a court to mental health treatment. It did not address the gun show loophole. It has not been passed into law.[49][50]

Representative Don Young (R–AK) praised Begich for doing a "great job" representing Alaska.[51]

Legislation

[edit]

Begich sponsored 164 bills of his own, including:[52]

111th Congress (2009–2010)

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  • S. 1561–1566, Begich's first bills, each introduced on August 3, 2009, would address a number of issues affecting the Arctic region. S. 1561 would increase coordination among the United States, Russia, Canada, Iceland, Norway, Denmark, and other seafaring and Arctic nations with regard to navigation, monitoring of conditions, and marine pollution in Arctic waters. S.1562 would review and make more efficient scientific research being conducted in the Arctic and would direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to develop an observation, monitoring, modeling, and research plan for black carbon and other aerosols. S. 1563 would create a U.S. Ambassador At Large for Arctic Affairs. S. 1564 would increase the studying of, preparation for, and responses to oil spills that occur in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas. S. 1565 would direct the United States Arctic Research Commission to submit biennial reports to Congress detailing the strategies to deal with health needs specific to populations living in the Arctic. S. 1566 would create a grant program in the Department of Agriculture to aid individuals and organizations in the Arctic in adapting to changes in climate and would fund research detailing the most appropriate responses to changes in Arctic climate. Begich later introduced S. 3580 and S.3584, which are similar to S.1564. S.1563, S.1565, S.3580, and S.3584 were reintroduced in the 112th Congress as S. 1229, S. 1227, S. 203 and S. 204. S. 1563 and S. 1565 were reintroduced in the 113th Congress as S. 270 and S. 271.
  • S. 1673, a bill to increase the tax deduction for Alaska Native corporations that make donations to conservation on lands reserved for Alaska Natives, introduced September 15, 2009, reintroduced in the 113th Congress as S. 2636
  • S. 2842 and S. 2873, bills to deny the tax deduction for direct-to-consumer expenses for prescription pharmaceuticals advertisers, and to allow for a $500 tax credit for the parents of any child who participates in an organization that promotes physical activity for children, introduced December 7 and 11, 2009
  • S. 2852, a bill to support the development of renewable energy sources in the Arctic, introduced December 9, 2009, reintroduced in the 112th Congress as S. 3371, and in the 113th Congress as S. 2705
  • S. 3225, a bill to create a competitive grant program in the Department of Commerce, with grants to be awarded to entities that promote domestic regional tourism growth and new domestic tourism market creation, was introduced on March 19, 2010. A modified version of this bill was introduced in the 112th Congress as S. 1663.
  • S. 3704, a bill to reform the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) in order to improve the financial safety and soundness of the FHA mortgage insurance program, was introduced on August 4, 2010. S. 3704's companion bill was passed by the House of Representatives but has not become law.
  • S. 3820, a bill to create a competitive grant program, with grants to be awarded to educational institutions that implement and expand effective science, technology, engineering, and mathematics curricula, introduced September 29, 2010, reintroduced in the 112th Congress as S. 463
  • S. 3969 and S. 3971, bills to require genetically engineered fish to be labeled as such, and to prohibit the commercial approval of genetically engineered fish, introduced November 18, 2010, reintroduced in the 112th Congress as S. 229 and S. 230

112th Congress (2011–2012)

[edit]
  • S. 205, a bill to require post-production oil drilled from Arctic waters to be transported by means of pipelines, to allocate 37.5% of the revenue generated from leasing rights and post-leasing activities to the Alaskan government, of which 20% is to be allocated to coastal political subdivisions, 33% to certain regional corporations, and 7% to Alaska Native Indian tribes, and to allocate 6.25% of federal royalty revenue to a land and water conservation fund and to reducing the federal government's budget deficit, introduced January 26, 2011, reintroduced in the 113th Congress as S. 199
  • S. 895, a bill to create a competitive grant program in the Department of Education to award grants to educational institutions that improve the effectiveness of teachers, strengthen the use of data to improve education, provide rigorous standards with high-standard tests aligned with those standards, turn around the lowest-performing schools, and any other thing the Secretary of Education chooses, with at least 25% of funds being allocated to rural education institutions, and to direct the Secretary of Education to create performance measures to track improvements, introduced May 5, 2011, reintroduced in the 113th Congress as S. 283
  • S. 1357, a bill to make the Roadless Area Conservation Rule inapplicable to land in Alaska included in the National Forest System, introduced July 13, 2011, reintroduced in the 113th Congress as S. 384
  • S. 1691, a bill to allow the interstate sale of firearms if the transaction is in compliance with both states' laws, and to no longer prohibit licensees from conducting business at gun shows outside of the state in which they received their license, introduced on October 12, 2011
  • S. 1717, a bill to prohibit genetically engineered salmon from being distributed or sold in interstate and foreign commerce, introduced October 17, 2011
  • S. 2180 and S. 2181, bills to create a $3,000 tax credit for early-childhood educators, to include early-childhood educators in the federal loan forgiveness programs for teachers, and to cap the allowable amount of loan forgiveness in these programs for early-childhood educators at $25,000, introduced March 8, 2012, reintroduced in the 113th Congress as S. 438 and S. 440
  • S. 2188, a bill to allow individuals with a permit to carry concealed handguns to be able to conceal their handguns in all other states in which equivalent laws exist, introduced March 12, 2012
  • S. 3262, a bill to authorize aboriginal whaling if it is used for the purpose of subsistence, is accomplished in an efficient manner, and does not include the hunting of any whale accompanied by a calf, introduced July 5, 2012
  • S. 3451, a bill to exempt certain air taxi services from an excise tax imposed on air transportation, introduced July 26, 2012

113th Congress (2013–2014)

[edit]
  • S. 282, a bill to award competitive grants to states that implement post-secondary education planning and career guidance programs for students, introduced February 12, 2013
  • S. 287, a bill to expand veterans' benefits for homeless veterans, introduced on February 12, 2013
  • S. 428, a bill to allow the Army to plan, survey, design, construct, maintain, or operate Arctic deepwater ports in cooperation with developers (which the bill defines), introduced on February 28, 2013
  • S. 896, a bill to eliminate the Federal Insurance Contributions Act tax's cap on taxable income, introduced May 8, 2013
  • S. 1325, a bill to expand the small business tax credit for health insurance, was introduced on July 18, 2013. A modified version of this bill was later introduced as S. 2069.
  • S. 1327, a bill to allow employers to enroll their employees in a health plan in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program if fewer than two plans are offered in the Small Business Health Options Program and no multi-state plans are available, introduced July 18, 2013
  • S. 1729, a bill to create a new "copper" tier of health plans below current "bronze" level plans offered in the PPACA's insurance exchanges, introduced November 19, 2013
  • S. 2059, a bill to expand the Nonbusiness Energy Property Tax Credit from a lifetime credit of $1,500 to $5,000 in a single taxable year, introduced February 27, 2014
  • S. 2241, a bill to create harsher penalties for individuals who distribute or manufacture drugs in or near schools, recreational areas, swimming pools, and game arcades, introduced April 10, 2014
  • S. 2258, a bill to bind the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for veterans' disability compensation to the COLA for disability benefits in the Social Security program, introduced April 28, 2014, signed into law September 26, 2014
  • S. 2399, a bill to make valid for voting any ID card issued by an Indian Tribe or Native Corporation, and to place restrictions on the elimination, moving, and consolidation of polling locations in Indian reservations, introduced May 22, 2014
  • S. 2957, a bill to prohibit Super PACs from making robocalls to individuals who have listed their phone number in the National Do Not Call Registry, introduced November 25, 2014

Committee assignments

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Begich, along with Bill Huizenga, Michigan Congressional representative, and Ron Wyden, Oregon U.S. Senator, visiting military personnel at Kandahar Airfield in January 2012.

Caucus memberships

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Political positions

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Abortion

[edit]

Begich is pro-choice and opposes restrictions on late-term abortions.[53] He has received a 100% rating from the pro-choice organization NARAL and a 0% rating from the anti-abortion organization NRLC.[54][55][56][57]

Cannabis

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Begich stated that he had concerns but would defend Ballot Measure 2 (Alaska Marijuana Legalization).[58]

Capital punishment

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Begich stated that he generally opposes the death penalty.[59]

Domestic security

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Begich wants to repeal the Patriot Act and opposes "allowing the government to conduct surveillance wiretaps without warrants."[59]

Energy

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In 2008, Begich supported the creation of a national cap-and-trade system for controlling greenhouse gas emissions.[60] In 2010, he signed a letter advocating the establishment of a 'price' for greenhouse gas emissions as part of national energy policy. Begich has stated that this should not be interpreted as support for a carbon tax.[61]

Begich supports drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.[62][63][64]

Environment

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Begich believes that human activity is a major factor contributing to climate change.[58]

Gun rights

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In 2014, Begich had a 79% (A−) rating with the NRA Political Victory Fund.[65][66]

Healthcare

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Begich voted in favor of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (most commonly known as Obamacare) when the bill first passed Congress.[67] Begich has not said whether or not he would vote for the bill again.[68]

Israel

[edit]

Begich is a supporter of Israel and is part of the advisory committee of the pro-Israel group American Israel Public Affairs Committee.[69]

Labor

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Begich supports raising the minimum wage and extending unemployment benefits beyond 26 weeks.[58]

Same-sex marriage

[edit]

Begich supports same-sex marriage.[70]

Veterans' affairs

[edit]

On April 28, 2014, Begich introduced the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2014 (S. 2258; 113th Congress), a bill that would, beginning on December 1, 2014, increase the rates of veterans' disability compensation, additional compensation for dependents, the clothing allowance for certain disabled veterans, and dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children.[71][72]

Personal life

[edit]

Begich is married to Deborah Bonito, a former chair of the Alaska Democratic Party and the owner of several small businesses throughout Anchorage. They have a son, Jacob.[73] Begich is a Roman Catholic.[74]

During his term in the Senate, Begich was the only U.S. Senator without a college degree.[12][73] He has taken continuing education classes at the University of Alaska Anchorage.[75] His brother Nick Jr. has researched and written about the High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) program as an instrument of weather modification and allegedly mind control.[76] His nephew, Nick III, made the primary runoff (along with former governor Sarah Palin and former state Representative Mary Peltola) for the Congressional seat that became vacant in 2022 as a result of the death of Don Young.[77] Mark's brother Tom Begich was elected as a state senator from Anchorage in 2016 but declined to file for reelection in 2022.

Begich currently serves as a lobbyist with Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck.[78][79]

Electoral history

[edit]

Anchorage Assembly

[edit]
1988 Anchorage Assembly Seat H[80]
October 4, 1988
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Mark Begich 2,264 35.0
Nonpartisan Steven Fowler 1,914 29.5
Nonpartisan Dave Harbour 1,171 18.0
Nonpartisan Liz Vazquez 586 9.0
Nonpartisan Dorothy Cox 293 4.5
Nonpartisan Walt Wood 129 1.9
Nonpartisan Mike L. Heggenberger 44 0.6
Nonpartisan Nick Rodes 42 0.6
Write-in Write-in 26 0.4
Total votes 6,469
1991 Anchorage Assembly Seat H[81]
October 1, 1991
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Mark Begich (incumbent) 5,216 55.06
Nonpartisan Eddie Burke 4,170 44.02
Write-in Write-in 88 0.93
Total votes 9,474
1995 Anchorage Assembly Seat H[82]
April 18, 1995
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Mark Begich (incumbent) 4,657 51.06
Nonpartisan Steven R. Fowler 3,735 40.95
Nonpartisan Edward Robbins 470 5.15
Write-in Write-in 118 1.29
Total votes 8,980

Anchorage Mayor

[edit]
1994 Anchorage Mayor[83]
May 2, 2000
Candidate Votes %
Rick Mystrom 15,049 21.78
Mark Begich 13,533 19.58
Craig Campbell 12,018 17.39
Jim Kubitz 7,594 10.99
Heather Flynn 6,896 9.98
Dr. Joyce Murphy 6,181 8.94
Virginia Collins 4,260 6.16
Pat Parnell 2,314 3.35
Mike John O'Callaghan 547 0.79
Richard "Ziggy" Ziegler 271 0.39
Michael J. P. DeFermo 134 0.19
Tom Staudenmaier 107 0.15
Matthew P. Gill 62 0.09
Charles E. McKee 58 0.08
Write-ins 84 0.12
Total votes 69,108
Voter turnout 49.52%
1994 Anchorage Mayor Runoff[84][85]
May 17, 1994
Candidate Votes %
Rick Mystrom 29,546 58.40
Mark Begich 21,046 41.60
Total votes 50,592
2000 Anchorage Mayor[86]
April 4, 2000
Candidate Votes %
Mark Begich 24,920 40.26
George Wuerch 12,681 20.49
Jack Frost 11,396 18.41
Bob Bell 6,034 9.75
Dave Donely 2,744 4.43
Pete Kott 2,289 3.70
Theresa Nangle Obermeyer, Phd 1,178 1.90
John Kehr, Jr. 90 0.15
Race G. Jones 74 0.12
Write-ins 91 0.15
Total votes 61,497
Voter turnout 30.94%
2000 Anchorage Mayor Runoff[87]
May 2, 2000
Candidate Votes %
George Wuerch 32,167 52.49
Mark Begich 20,116 47.51
Total votes 69,025
Voter turnout 35.63%
2003 Anchorage Mayor[88]
April 1, 2003
Candidate Votes %
Mark Begich 28,604 45.03
George Wuerch (incumbent) 23,615 37.17
Richard Mystrom 9,954 15.67
David Dunsmore 488 0.77
Jennifer Citti 195 0.31
Thomas Mark Higgins 144 0.23
Richard Zeigler 135 0.21
Tom Layne 103 0.16
Daniel DeNardo 97 0.15
Ray Malcolm 61 0.1
Bruce J. Lemke 49 0.08
Write-in 79 0.12
Total votes 63,524
Voter turnout 34.45%
2006 Anchorage Mayor[89]
April 4, 2006
Candidate Votes %
Mark Begich (incumbent) 39,468 55.95
Jack Frost 28,760 40.77
Nick Moe 1,747 2.48
Thomas Mark Higgins 431 431
Write-in 135 0.19
Total votes 70,541
Voter turnout 35.02%

U.S. Senate

[edit]
2008 Alaska U.S. Senate Democratic primary election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Mark Begich 63,747 90.82
Democratic Ray Metcalfe 5,480 7.81
Democratic Frank Vondersaar 965 1.37
Turnout 70,192
2008 United States Senate election in Alaska[90]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Mark Begich 151,767 47.77 +37.26
Republican Ted Stevens (inc.) 147,814 46.52 −31.65
Independence Bob Bird 13,197 4.15 +1.22
Libertarian David Haase 2,483 0.78 −0.25
Independent Ted Gianoutsos 1,385 0.44
Write-In 1,077 0.34 +0.21
Majority 3,953 1.24 −66.41
Turnout 317,723
2014 Alaska U.S. Senate Democratic primary election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Mark Begich (inc.) 58,092 96.63
Democratic William Bryk 2,024 3.37
Turnout 60,116
2014 United States Senate election in Alaska[91]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Dan Sullivan 135,445 47.96 +1.46
Democratic Mark Begich (inc.) 129,431 45.83 −1.94
Libertarian Mark Fish 10,512 3.72 +1.94
Independent Ted Gianoutsos 5,636 2 +1.56
Write-ins Others 1,376 0.49 +0.15
Plurality 6,014 2.13
Turnout 282,400 55.48

Alaska Governor

[edit]
2018 Alaska Gubernatorial Primary
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Mark Begich 29,806 85.15
Libertarian William S. Toien 5,197 14.85
2018 Alaska gubernatorial/lieutenant gubernatorial election[92]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Mike Dunleavy and Kevin Meyer 145,631 51.44% +5.56%
Democratic Mark Begich and Debra Call 125,739 44.41% N/A
Independent Bill Walker (inc.) and Valerie Davidson (inc.) withdrawn 5,757 2.03% −46.07%
Libertarian William Toien and Carolyn Clift 5,402 1.91% −1.30%
Write-in Write-ins 605 0.21% −0.11%
Total votes 283,134 100.0% N/A

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Atwood, Evangeline; DeArmond, Robert N. (1977). Who's Who in Alaskan Politics. Portland: Binford & Mort for the Alaska Historical Commission. p. 6.
  2. ^ "Ted Stevens, Longest-Serving GOP Senator, Dead". CBS Interactive. August 10, 2010. Archived from the original on January 22, 2011. Retrieved September 28, 2010.
  3. ^ Bohrer, Becky. Republican Dan Sullivan wins Senate race in Alaska Archived 2014-11-12 at the Wayback Machine, Associated Press, November 12, 2014.
  4. ^ 2014 General Election – Unofficial Results Archived 2014-11-12 at the Wayback Machine, Alaska Department of Elections, November 4, 2014.
  5. ^ Mark Begich concedes to Dan Sullivan Archived 2014-11-21 at the Wayback Machine, Politico Retrieved November 23, 2014.
  6. ^ Democrat Begich concedes to Republican Sullivan in Alaska race , Fox News, Retrieved November 23, 2014.
  7. ^ "Governor Election Results 2018". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2018-12-01. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  8. ^ Davis, Susan (2014-08-24). "Alaska wants a fighter in the U.S. Senate". USA Today. Archived from the original on 2014-08-26. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
  9. ^ Murphy, Kim. "Begich ends low-key approach" Archived 2008-12-16 at the Wayback Machine. Los Angeles Times. November 20, 2008.
  10. ^ Begich, Tom. (2006-04-30). "Tom Begich: Politics first" Interviewed by Judy Ferguson. Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved 2007-04-04. Tom Begich, brother of Mark Begich, says of his father, "Until I was nearly 12, I grew up with a man who was a legend, the son of Croatian immigrants, but who disappeared Oct. 16, 1972, into the clouds."
  11. ^ "mark begich". Archived from the original on 2015-04-04. Retrieved 2012-01-04.
  12. ^ a b c d e Eliot Nelson (January 13, 2014). "Alaska Is At A Crossroads. Can Mark Begich Keep It From Falling Apart?". HuffPost. Archived from the original on November 7, 2018. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  13. ^ Henry J. Reske. "10 Things You Didn't Know About Mark Begich". U.S. News & World Report. Archived from the original on 2017-09-29. Retrieved 2017-09-04.
  14. ^ "Begich Fights for Lower Student Loan Rates". Alaska Business Monthly. March 18, 2014. Archived from the original on May 18, 2015. Retrieved May 11, 2015.
  15. ^ Brown, Cathy (2002-05-14). "Legislature again refuses to vote on appointees". Juneau Empire. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  16. ^ "Mayors Against Illegal Guns: Coalition Members". Archived from the original on 2008-03-27.
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Further reading

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mark Begich.
Political offices
Preceded by Mayor of Anchorage
2003–2009 		Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by
Frank Vondersaar
 Democratic nominee for U.S. Senator from Alaska
(Class 2)
2008, 2014 		Succeeded by
Al Gross
Endorsed
Preceded by Chair of the Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee
2011–2015 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Bill Walker
Endorsed
 Democratic nominee for Governor of Alaska
2018 		Succeeded by
U.S. Senate
Preceded by U.S. Senator (Class 2) from Alaska
2009–2015
Served alongside: Lisa Murkowski 		Succeeded by
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded byas Former US Senator Order of precedence of the United States Succeeded byas Former US Senator
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mark_Begich&oldid=1256475014"