Congressman Don Young and Anne Young stopped by the Division of Elections in Anchorage on Tuesday and filed for the 2022 election. Young has been Alaska’s member of the U.S. House of Representatives since 1973 and is the longest continuously serving member of the House.
In 2017, Young became Dean of the House, the longest-serving representative and the first Republican dean in more than 80 years. In 2019, Congressman Young made history after becoming the longest-serving Republican in American history to serve in Congress.
In the 117th Congress, Young is Republican leader of the Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States, in addition to his roles as the most senior member of both the Transportation and Natural Resources Committees.
“There is no doubt that this has been a difficult time for our state. The pandemic has devastated our tourism economy, the new Administration has forced new resource exploration to grind to a halt, and extremists from the Lower 48 have only grown emboldened in their goal of locking up Alaska,” Young said. “With attacks coming at our state on all fronts, Alaska needs a proven leader to stand up and fight for the people of our great state. This is not the time to take risks on someone untested and unproven. That is why I have officially filed for reelection to serve as Congressman for All Alaska in the 118th Congress.”
He continued, “I always say that this has never been about Don Young. This is about Alaska and the people who call our great state home. My constituents need and deserve representation that listens to them and brings the Alaskan perspective to DC; that has always been my mission as your Congressman. Together, we have secured many wins for Alaska. Whether it is constructing the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, strengthening the fishing industry, obtaining funding for Alaska’s infrastructure, or working together to protect Alaska Native subsistence rights and culture, I have proven how to get big things done.”
Young was elected in a special election following the presumed death of Rep. Nick Begich, whose flight disappeared en route from Anchorage to Juneau. A teacher and riverboat captain, Young served in the U.S. Army, and later as mayor of Fort Yukon. He was elected to the Alaska House of Representatives in 1966 and served from 1967-1971 and in the Alaska Senate from 1971-1973.
In December, Young filed for reelection with the Federal Elections Commission, but candidates for federal office must also file with the State Division of Elections, and by doing so on Tuesday, Young answered the question on the minds of many politicos: Will he run again?
Although he has served for 47 years, this will be the first time he’ll face a jungle primary ballot, which means candidates of all parties and nonparties appear on the same ballot. The general election ballot will also be new in 2022, as it will require voters to rank their preferences from 1 to 4 of the four top vote getters from the primary. The new voting scheme comes from Ballot Measure 2, passed by voters in 2020 after a dark-money campaign by Outside liberal forces targeted Alaska.
No offense meant, but it is time for Don to retire. May as well get someone younger in there soon, rather then wait for a medical emergency to force our hand.
I wouldn’t vote for this go-along-to-get-along traitor for money.
Young did absolutely nothing to fight the 2020 election theft.
As friendly as they are it wouldn’t surprise me to find Young and Pelosi holding hands in the Congressional cloakroom.
He seems to think very highly of his Democratic “opponents.”
Young isn’t astute enough to realize that bipartisanship with liberals is just giving them some of what they demand while getting nothing in return.
I’d never vote for a Democrat but this fossil will NEVER get my vote again.
I’ll write in “None of the above” if the choice in 2022 is Young versus some Democrat.
It’s time for new blood in Congress, especially when it comes to our delegation.
Our three think their job is to grab as much of the federal pork as possible to bring home.
Their actual job is to follow the Constitution and to keep this country financially solvent and all three are massive failures.
1. The jungle vote must go. Where is a court challenge? Ballot measure to get rid of it?
2. Don has done a lot for the state, but comes a time for a graceful exit strategy. But not with a jungle primary.
It is time to retire Don.
Don Young has been in office for very long time And I would say at this point too long.
In his time he has done a lot of good things for Alaska and he should be honored for them.
But it is time for a new conservative to step forward and represent the state of Alaska. It is hard for some politicians to give up the power they have gathered over the years but I would ask Don to step aside and support a new conservative to fill his footsteps.
O boy, geriatric representation. Why wouldn’t Don retire and pass the torch to a conservative? Thanks Don for your service, please don’t wear out your welcome! I hope he is replaced by a Marjorie Taylor Green type.
Message for mr young why the hell should the tax payers be on the hook for your old folk home expenses?
Your usefulness is over
Go home
Give it up, Don. Pick and groom a successor before Elyse can build a case you’re a dottering old fool
One more time, Uncle Don!
Anybody but Alyse, her dad broke her moms arm…also Don hurt her hand when he squeezed it,FYI.
I don’t know why he does it. I guess he just can’t step away from the podium. Surely by now he doesn’t need the money. Guess he just doesn’t have anything else to do.
Children don’t have the life experience to realize how beneficial it is to them to have a cranky old grandpa in the house. Grandpas have experienced enough of the past, to be able to prepare their grand-children for their futures.
“This is not the time to take risks on someone untested and unproven.” He’s right. There’s nobody who isn’t co-opted into the New World Order, waiting in the wings.
Our current crop of legislators are beholden to Citizens United, and they’ve nurtured a new crop, who are going to be even more beholden then they.
There’s no such thing as a “new war-horse”. It takes many hard fought battles to season a horse, so that they become steady under the saddle, and don’t shy from the spears and arrows.
Don may be an old war-horse, but he has well earned our confidence in his steadiness and courage. I love his crankiness. It reminds me that he’s been there, and done that.
Given Young’s desire to work across the aisle and kudos from Nancy, I think it is well past his time to leave. The Alaska GOP needs to tell him to step down and replace with a strong conservative candidate.
Alaska deserves much better. It is time for Don to retire gracefully.
No need to be nasty, people. Grow up and pull up your big people panties, find a way to say thank you for your service and then go out and find an acceptable replacement.
Once a Riverboat Captain on the Yukon River, Rep.Don Young has been the only member of congress to have held a US Coast Guard Masters License! Thank you Don Young for your unwavering support for the US Merchant Marine & Maritime Industry during your many years in office! Please keep working on securing the federal funding for our Essential Maritime Infrastructure and Port Facilities that need to built or replaced all over the state! AVTEC in Seward has a good Maritime and Fisheries Dept. but is limited in it’s scope and funding. What better way to develop our state’s maritime potential and provide opportunities for young Alaskans then to secure federal funding for a World Class Marine Science/ Oceanographic Research/ Maritime Training Center here in Alaska!
Really “never been about Don Young”,
Thought you said that Congress is your life and you would wilt away if you ever retired from Congress. Your words Don, and your biggest fear, loss of Power.
Just in Biden’s first 100 days you have proven you are out of step with Alaskans. You going out of your way to introduce Haaland to the Senate. Just to have Alaska Native Vets kicked down again by your besti friend.
Ads running on TV from the AFLCIO for your endorsement of Unions.
Sounds to me your are spreading your arms now that you do not have a Republican Primary to contend with.
No Don it is all about you 100%, always has been.
Being at the top of the Washington Swamp Creature list just validate’s what we Alaskans know as fact, Don what you say is 180 degrees from what you live and practice.
Don Young is a special man in the hearts and minds of Alaskans. I recall him newly elected, young, cocky, perhaps a bit brash… Over the years Don Young has become a beloved figure, his knowledge of Alaska, is astounding. To those who believe that Don is a tottering old fool, you obviously have not spent much time with the man. Nope, I haven’t always agreed with every move Don has made but in the whole he has done a heck of a job. He has my Vote!
How are the offramps in Florida lookin’?
He is very good at what he does. I trust him most to have the state’s issues uppermost! If he is willing it is the best for Alaska.
This guy voted yes on the PRO act… I will no longer be voting for Don Young.
Ouch! People! People!
He’s just shooting for the chance to be the longest running congressman on the historical record. Is it really that important that he’s ineffectual?
Sorry Don but every time you kiss up to Biden diminishes your stature. I voted for you many times but it’s time for fresh blood. Leave respectfully rather than be carried out.
Only two out of sixteen for Don in this thread so far … which means that the no-Don’s are still in the minority … otherwise they wouldn’t feel compelled to voice their opposition.
Give it up. You have never had the votes to get him out of office. All fourteen of you may not like Don, but the rest of us 700,000 or so still do.
It time for a new young conservative to replace him. I don’t have faith in his judgment.
Don is all about himself. Completely compromised by the corrupt system good bye Don we are done with you. You are not even a Shadow of Your former self whatever that was. Too bad you didn’t grow a set years ago maybe we would support you. Time for you to move on and go fishing or whatever it is you do. Just go.
It’s official! Let’s find someone else to run.
Ok, look up the board of Berkshire Hathaway, a very, very successful investment fund. This is the fund headed up by the illustrious Warren Buffett. Almost half the board are in their 80’s and even 90’s. I may not agree with Buffett’s politics, but the man is a financial genius and still at the helm at 90. How old is Don Young? He has done well for our state. He still seems sharp as the proverbial tack. I myself am 60 and still running, skiing, weight training, biking and terrain riding (boondocking, mountain riding, cross country) via snow machine. Age is a number. Use it or loose it. I for one will vote for Don if he wants to keep serving. With that said though, I am also for term limits but until that happens, Don does give us an edge. Lastly, a term in Congress is only two years. As for all of you, your time will come and I wonder how much you will appreciate being dismissed simply because of the number of years you have been on this earth?
josephdj, I don’t mind Don nor do I dislike him. It is just time for new blood and energy as he exits gracefully.
Time to hit the bricks, donny.
You’re right AK. It is time for new blood. However, no one has advanced anyone worth serious consideration.
Don keeling over and dying on the house floor may not be very graceful, but dang, any of the hopefuls waiting in the wings are already DOA.
Go away Don. Time for a new face and more conservative perspective. Enjoy the pasture, you old goat.
Since when did one guy on here start speaking for 700,000? One voice, one vote JD!
Gregory: Rhetorical hyperbole is a First Amendment-based doctrine that the Court has used to provide protection to exaggerated, over-the-top speech … but in deference to your sensibilities, I will amend that number (minus you) to 699,999.There, I’m no longer speaking for you.
If anyone else objects, I will also amend that 699,999 to reflect their removal from my estimate. I do try to be as accurate as possible. Ahahahahahaha! Aha! Ha!
The trouble with with this notion of replacing Don Young is evident every time I read about our Alaska Legislature or any of the Major City’s Assemblies. It’s like a bunch of socially and mentally challenged children have captured our political system. Keep the old guy there until we see some intelligent life within our State wide political systems. I shudder to think what kind of idiots might replace Don Young.
When Don Young is no longer serves as Alaska representative it’s going to be a sad adjustment period, because of today’s younger leaders; they don’t have his stability. Alaska always knows where he stands and what we will get from him. While today’s younger leaders change like they change their underwear.
Alaska will either get another Murkowski type or cross your fingers hope Sullivan does the Right action type for its next Alaska representative.
I’ve been voting for Don Young for 40-years. That’s 20 general election votes. Sorry, Don. That’s my limit. You gotta know when to fold em. You’ve become part of the DC swamp for the past 25 years. Take your wealth and run. Let another Republican get in there and win…….and I’m not talking about Nick Begich Jr.
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