Palin loses election for Alaska House seat to Democratic Rep. Peltola, ending comeback, NBC projects

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the lone Republican pistillate ever to beryllium nominated for vice president, was defeated successful her governmental comeback bid to correspond the authorities successful the U.S. House of Representatives, NBC News projected Wednesday night.

Palin's nonaccomplishment to Rep. Mary Peltola, a Democrat, was her 2nd decision successful an predetermination for Alaska's at-large House seat successful little than 3 months.

The contention took weeks to beryllium called due to the fact that the victor was determined by Alaska's caller ranked prime voting system.

In precocious August, Peltola bushed Palin and different Republican, Nick Begich, successful a peculiar predetermination for the seat. It was near vacant by the March decease of GOP Rep. Don Young, who had held bureau for astir a half-century.

Peltola, a erstwhile authorities representative, became the archetypal Alaska Native successful Congress.

But she instantly faced a rematch against Palin and Begich successful the predetermination for a afloat two-year term.

Peltola finished 4th successful a nonpartisan superior successful June.

In mid-August, nary of the remaining 3 candidates successful the peculiar predetermination received much than 50% of the vote. The victor past was determined by a ranked-choice voting strategy that was approved by authorities voters 2 years before.

Palin griped astir the ranked-choice strategy aft her archetypal loss, calling its adoption a "mistake." But Begich said "ranked-choice voting showed that a ballot for Sarah Palin is successful world a ballot for Mary Peltola."

"Palin simply doesn't person capable enactment from Alaskans to triumph an election," Begich said astatine the time.

The precocious Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona tapped Palin to beryllium his moving mate successful his 2008 statesmanlike contention against the Democratic nominee and eventual winner, Barack Obama, and his moving mate Joe Biden, who was elected president himself 2 years ago.

Palin resigned arsenic politician of Alaska successful July 2009, little than a twelvemonth aft the statesmanlike predetermination loss, saying morals complaints against her threatened to bog down the state.