The chambers of the U.S. House of Representatives are seen in 2017 in this photograph from the Office of the Speaker of the House. (Wikimedia Commons photo)
The Alaska Beacon asked Alaska’s 22 U.S. House candidates to answer a 15-question survey about their positions on a variety of issues. Read all of their responses here. Answers have not been edited.
Sarah Palin, Republican candidate from Wasilla
Yes/no questions
Do you believe former President Donald Trump’s claims that the 2020 presidential election was fraudulent?
Yes
Should Election Day be a federal holiday?
No
Don Young was a longtime supporter of statehood for Puerto Rico. Do you support statehood for Puerto Rico?
No
Should marijuana be legalized federally?
Yes
Would you vote in favor of a bill that codifies abortion rights in US law?
No
Open-ended questions
What do you think about the overturning of Roe, and what actions should Congress take on abortion and contraception?
The great thing about the decision overturning Roe is that it returned power to the states, and to the people through their elected representatives. Congress should respect state sovereignty and let the people of each state decide for themselves.
What’s Alaska’s biggest need, and how would you address it?
Alaska needs the freedom to develop our God-given natural resources ethically and responsibly. Developing our oil and natural gas resources is paramount, because it not only helps to grow our state’s economy and create high-quality jobs, but would also allow America to regain the energy dominance we experienced before Joe Biden took office and went to war against domestic energy. It’s also important to develop our other resources without interference from the federal government, as well, including salmon, gold, and rare earth materials that are critically necessary for a high-tech economy.
How should Congress reduce the threat of gun violence and mass shootings?
The reason for gun violence and mass shootings is sick people and a sick culture. Congress can take some direct action, such as providing more funding for mental health care. But the most important thing Congress can do is embrace a culture of life and promote the traditional values that have held human societies together for millennia. We should be doing more to encourage stable, two-parent families; stop attacking religious liberties; and embrace time-tested moral values instead of succumbing to moral relativism.
What steps should Congress take to balance Alaska’s status as an oil state with the need to address climate change?
Drill, baby, drill! Alaskans know better than anyone how to develop our God-given natural resources responsibly and ethically. We don’t need the federal government telling us what to do or how to do it.
What changes or updates do you want to see in fisheries management?
The federal government is responsible for governing federal waters. They have an obligation to protect those waters from foreign deep-sea trawlers who are taking our fish and decimating the population before they can return to their spawning grounds. Alaskans are left to fight over the scraps. The federal government will do their job if you elect me as your congresswoman
Should Congress act to protect voting rights and encourage voting, and if so, how?
The Constitution gives state legislatures responsibility for managing elections, but also leaves a place for Congress to get involved. There are some things Congress can and should do to protect voting rights, such as requiring voter ID and ensuring that elections are inclusive, transparent, and accountable. But for the most part, Congress should leave election management to the states.
Alaska has the highest health care costs in the nation. What will you do to reduce costs and improve access to services?
We need to get government out of the health care industry. All government does is get between patients and their doctors, resulting in higher costs, longer wait times, and reduced quality of service. Doctors spend too much of their time making sure they’re complying with byzantine government regulations and jumping through hoops with government bureaucrats and insurance companies. We need to let the free market do what it does – incentive the highest quality service at the lowest possible price.
How should Congress protect the rights of LGBTQ Alaskans?
We already have plenty of laws on the books to protect our rights – they’re called the Bill of Rights. The federal government should pay more attention to respecting our God-given constitutional rights and individual liberties than creating new laws that just end up infringing on our existing rights. Treating each individual with dignity and respect comes from a culture grounded in a moral code that has been eroded for years by the left – loving your neighbor as you would yourself will never be done through more laws.
Alaska families say they’re struggling financially in a variety of ways, including with child care. What actions should Congress take to support families with children?
The way we raise our families is incredibly personal, and government should not be using its power to get between parents and their children. That’s why the child tax credit is probably the single best way government can support parents – it puts money in their pockets to spend as they see fit. Parents know what’s best for their children; politicians only care about what’s best for politicians.
What improvements to Alaskans’ day to day lives can you make from the House of Representatives?
We need to get the federal government off our backs and back on our side. The federal government should not be involved in every single decision. We should be looking for ways to turn power back over to the states, and to the people, just as the Founders intended.
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