It’s election season, which means it’s time for hordes of Outside reporters to parachute into Alaska. Each will follow a similar playbook: interview a fisherman or two; attend a candidate forum; talk to a centrist political insider (Scott or Jim); interview an Alaskan who is not a fisherman but who maybe hunts or mushes or identifies as Indigenous; and then — with all of the wisdom and expertise accrued in three days, or possibly one big, fact-filled week! — make the following points:
– Alaska has something called “nature,” which is “pristine.”
– Alaska is unique. (So unique!)
– Alaskans are nice. But also, they’re angry. Boy, do they get fired up when you take away their salmon!
– Alaskans care more about their neighbors than about national politics. Can you fucking believe that?
– Alaska is Republican, but it’s turning purple, except it’s still quite red, except where it’s not. I am confused.
– Alaska has a ~different~ voting system, where voters rank choices. I am able to explain it to you because I spoke to a centrist political insider.
– Glaciers in Alaska are melting! Especially one called Exit Glacier! Climate change, baby!
– Okay, but really: The only reason you need to care about Alaska right now (or at least until the next election rolls around) is that one Mary Peltola might beat one Dan Sullivan (or two, actually) in a tight election, which could shift the balance of power in the United States Senate.
– Also, there is a guy named Dan Sullivan — not to be confused with U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan — who lives in a small Alaskan fishing town called Petersburg. Fun fact, and you should really trust the experts on this one: Petersburg is “tiny.”
– Mary Peltola is very Alaska Native, but she may not be Alaska Native enough. You know who is an authority figure on this? It is I, a non-Native journalist from an East Coast urban area.
– Mary Peltola is nice.
– “Nice” is the wrong word, according to nine anonymous former Mary Peltola staffers.