Sarah Palin's surprise loss to fill the U.S. House seat representing Alaska this past week has set off alarm bells among Republican Party strategists who are looking beyond the state's ranked-choice election for clues to her collapse in the state where she briefly served as governor.
According to a report from Politico's David Siders, a close look at how Alaskans voted -- particularly their refusal to list Palin as their second choice after fellow Republican Nick Begich III -- is a sign that being a Trump Republican not only doesn't carry the day but also may be a hindrance.
As Siders wrote, "In an election that could spell disaster for pro-Donald Trump hard-liners in states across the midterm electoral map, only about half of the voters who supported a more traditionalist Republican, Nick Begich III, as their first choice in Alaska’s new ranked-choice voting system marked Palin as their second pick."
Adding, "Her defeat was the firmest evidence yet this year that at least some Republicans may be turned off enough to vote the other way in the midterms and potentially, beyond," he continued, "The problem for the GOP is that Palin is far from the only lightning rod on the ballot this fall. In swing states like Arizona, Pennsylvania and Michigan, pro-Trump Republicans who beat more establishment-minded Republicans in primaries will now be confronting a general election electorate that rebuked Trump in 2020."
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According to pollster Ivan Moore of Alaska Survey Research, the GOP leadership should have read the room when a poll showed she only had a 31 percent favorability rating which Moore claimed clearly showed she was "unelectable."
Jim Minnery, executive director of the conservative Alaska Family Council, said Palin didn't do herself any favors when Begich suggested voters accept her as their second choice and she didn't return the favor.
"The fact is that Nick encouraged his folks to vote for Palin second, as he did, and Palin didn’t, and I think that speaks volumes about her,” he explained.
According to GOP strategist Sean Walsh, Republicans should view the Palin loss as a red flag.
“Unfortunately, I am concerned that this is the canary in this election’s coal mine,” he warned. “You’ve got to appeal to 50 percent plus one vote in every race in every state you’re running in … I don’t think Trump right now gets you to 50 percent plus one.”
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