(ANCHORAGE, Alaska, Oct. 20, 2022) — The Cook Inlet Region, Inc. (CIRI) Board of Directors has voted to endorse Rep. Mary Sattler Peltola’s candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives. CIRI joins several other Alaska Native regional corporations and the ANCSA Regional Association in its endorsement of Rep. Peltola.
Rep. Peltola won an August special election to serve out the rest of Congressman Don Young’s term. Young passed away in March after holding the seat for nearly 50 years.
“During her brief tenure in Congress, Rep. Peltola has demonstrated poise and leadership, immediately rolling up her sleeves and getting to work on issues important to Alaskans,” CIRI President and CEO Sophie Minich said. “Her first bill establishing an Office of Food Security in the Department of Veterans Affairs passed the House in September, and she joins Alaska’s senators in championing the Willow project, which would bring jobs and economic development back to Alaska. She is committed to upholding the late Congressman Don Young’s legacy of bipartisanship and has already taken significant steps to do so.”
An Alaska Native person of Yup’ik heritage, Rep. Peltola was raised along the Kuskokwim River in rural Alaska and began commercial fishing alongside her family at the age of 6. She served for 10 years in the Alaska State Legislature before working in the private sector. She boasts extensive experience in both government and business and serves on the boards of several Alaska nonprofits.
“It is an honor to be recognized by the Board of CIRI and the people of Cook Inlet as a trusted partner in our shared goals of development, stewardship and preservation,” Rep. Peltola said. “Our communal future is interdependent, and our successes will be many when Alaskan voices are heard. I look forward to advocating for and representing these aspirations in our federal government.”
Rep. Peltola is the first Alaska Native person to serve in Congress and the first woman to hold Alaska’s lone seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Her Alaska Native heritage, rural upbringing and prior political experience provide her with a unique understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing all Alaskans.
The U.S. general election will be held Nov. 8. More information, dates and deadlines can be found on the State of Alaska’s Division of Elections website.
