Results from Primaries in AK, HI, and WY: Potential First in Alaska and More Non-Incumbent Women House Candidates

CAWP Staff

Last Updated: 9/7/22, 2pm ET (final results)

Two primaries were held on Tuesday in Alaska and Wyoming, as well as a special election in Alaska to fill a vacant U.S. House seat, and another primary was held last Saturday in Hawaii. Full context about women in the 2022 elections, including candidate lists, summaries, and historical comparisons, is available via the Center for American Women and Politics’ (CAWP) Election Watch.

Among the most notable results for women:

  • Two (1D, 1R) non-incumbent women have won major-party nominations in general election contests that favor their party.
    • In Hawaii, former state Senator Jill Tokuda (D) won the Democratic nomination in the open-seat contest in HI-02, a contest currently rated as “Solid Democrat” by Cook Political Report.
    • In Wyoming, incumbent U.S. Representative Liz Cheney (R) was defeated in the Republican primary by Harriet Hageman (R), who was backed in the primary by former President Donald Trump. With Cheney’s defeat, there are now 17 (12D, 5R) women incumbents who are not returning to the U.S. House. Hageman will face Lynette GreyBull (D) in a woman v. woman general election contest currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report. If elected, GreyBull would be the first Native American woman to serve in the U.S. House from Wyoming.
  • In Alaska, women are 2 of 3 (66.7%) candidates selected to advance to the general election for the state's regular U.S. House contest. Former Governor Sarah Palin (R) and former state Representative Mary Peltola (D) have advanced; they are also both competing in the special election for U.S. House. Another woman candidate - Tara Sweeney (D) - withdrew from the contest despite coming in fourth in the state's top-four primary system. The fifth place finisher - a Libertarian man - will advance to the general election ballot. The general election in this contest will utilize a ranked-choice voting system.
  • In the Alaska special U.S. House election, former state Representative Mary Peltola (D) won. She will become the first Alaska Native woman in the U.S. Congress and the first woman to serve in the U.S. House from Alaska. 
  • In the U.S. Senate race in Alaska, incumbent Senator Lisa Murkowski (R), Republican Party-endorsed Kelly Tshibaka (R), and Democrat Patricia Chesbro (D) have advanced to the general election. They are 3 of 4 (75%) candidates to advance to the general election in November.

Hawaii

Alaska

Wyoming

 

Hawaii

U.S. Senate

One (1D) woman has ever served in the U.S. Senate from Hawaii: current U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono (D, 2013-present). She is not up for re-election this year.

In 2022, 2 (2R) women filed as candidates for the U.S. Senate to challenge incumbent Senator Brian Schatz. Neither was successful.

U.S. House

No women currently serve in the Hawaii delegation to the U.S. House. Five (4D, 1R) women have served in the U.S. House from Hawaii.

In 2022, 2 (2D) women filed as candidates for U.S. House seats in Hawaii.

Based on primary election results, women are 1 of 4 (25%) major-party nominees for U.S. House in Hawaii, including 1 of 2 (50%) Democrats and 0 of 2 (0%) Republicans. One (1D) woman candidate for the U.S. House was unsuccessful.

  • Former State Senator Jill Tokuda (D) won the Democratic nomination in the open-seat contest in HI-02, a contest currently rated as “Solid Democrat” by Cook Political Report. Tokuda identifies as Asian American/Pacific Islander.

Statewide Elective Executive Office

In Hawaii, there are just two statewide elective executive offices: governor and lieutenant governor. Women do not currently hold either office. Three (2D, 1R) women have served in statewide elective executive offices in Hawaii, including 1 (1R) woman who has served as governor: Linda Lingle (R, 2003-2011).

Both statewide elective executive offices in Hawaii are up for election in 2022. In Hawaii, candidates for governor and lieutenant governor are nominated in separate primary elections but run on a single ticket in the general election.

Five (3D, 2R) women filed as candidates for two statewide elective executive offices up for election in Hawaii in 2022, including 3 (1D, 2R) women candidates for governor.

Based on primary election results, women are 1 of 4 (25%) major-party nominees for statewide elective executive offices in Hawaii, including are 1 of 2 (50%) Democrats and are 0 of 2 (0%) Republicans. Four (2D, 2R) women candidates for statewide elective executive offices were unsuccessful.

  • State Representative Sylvia Luke (D) won the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor. She will run on a ticket with Democratic gubernatorial nominee Josh Green in a general election contest currently rated as “Solid Democrat” by Cook Political Report. Luke identifies as Asian American/Pacific Islander.

 

Alaska

Alaska uses a top-four primary for congressional and state-level offices. Under Alaska's top-four primary system, all candidates for a given office run in a single primary election. The top four vote-getters, regardless of partisan affiliation, advance to the general election.

The general election contests that result from the top-four primary will utilize ranked choice voting.

U.S. Senate

One (1R) woman has ever served in the U.S. Senate from Alaska: current U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R, 2002-present). She is up for re-election this year.

In 2022, 3 (1D, 2R) women filed as candidates for the U.S. Senate. 

Women are 3 of 4 (75%) candidates who have advanced to the general election contest, which is currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report. No women candidates were unsuccessful.  

  • In the U.S. Senate race in Alaska, incumbent Senator Lisa Murkowski (R), Republican Party-endorsed Kelly Tshibaka (R), and Democrat Patricia Chesbro (D) have advanced to the general election.

U.S. House Special Election

The general election contest to fill the vacancy in Alaska’s at-large U.S. House seat was held on August 16, 2022, concurrent to the primary election for a full term. The winner of the special election will serve until the new Congress begins on January 3, 2023.

Of the 3 candidates who advanced to the general election from a top-four primary format, 2 (1D, 1R) are women: former governor and vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin (R) and former State Representative Mary Peltola (D). One of the top four finishers in the primary election – Al Gross (I) – ended his campaign prior to the general election and did not appear on the ballot.

Former State Representative Mary Peltola (D) won the special election. She will become the first Alaska Native woman in the U.S. Congress and the first woman to serve in the U.S. House from Alaska.

U.S. House

No woman has ever served in the U.S. House from Alaska.

In 2022, 4 (1D, 3R) women filed as candidates for the at-large U.S. House seat in Alaska.

Based on primary election results, women are 2 of 3 (66.7%) candidates that will advance to the general election. Another woman candidate - Tara Sweeney (D) - withdrew from the contest despite coming in fourth in the state's top-four primary system. The fifth place finisher - a Libertarian man - will advance to the general election ballot. The general election in this contest will utilize a ranked-choice voting system.

  • Former State Representative Mary Peltola (D) and former vice-presidential nominee and Governor Sarah Palin (R) have advanced to the general election.

Of the 2 (1D, 1R) women advancing to the general election for the U.S. House in Alaska, 1 (1D) woman – Peltola – is Native American and 1 (1R) woman – Palin – is white. Peltola will run in the general election as an incumbent after being sworn in to the U.S. House in September. 

Statewide Elective Executive Office

In Alaska, there are just two statewide elective executive offices: governor and lieutenant governor. Women do not currently hold either office. Three (1D, 1R, 1I) women have served in statewide elective executive offices in Alaska, including 1 (1R) woman who has served as governor: Sarah Palin (R, 2007-2009).

Both statewide elective executive offices in Alaska are up for election in 2022. In Alaska, candidates for lieutenant governor run on a ticket with gubernatorial candidates in both the primary and general election.

In 2022, 5 (1D, 4R) women filed as candidates in the open-seat contest for lieutenant governor and no women filed as candidates to challenge incumbent Governor Mike Dunleavy (R).

Based on primary election results, women are 3 of 3 (100%) major-party candidates to advance to the general election. Two (2R) women candidates were unsuccessful.

  • Nancy Dahlstrom (R), as part of the gubernatorial ticket with incumbent Governor Mike Dunleavy (R), Jessica Cook (D), as part of the gubernatorial ticket with Les Gara (D), and Edie Grunwald (R), as part of the gubernatorial ticket with Charlie Pierce (R), will advance to the general election.
  • In addition to these major-party candidates, non-partisan candidate Heidi Drygas (NP) will advance to the general election on a ticket with former Governor Bill Walker (NP). 

Of the 3 (1D, 2R) women major-party candidates selected to advance to the general election for lieutenant governor in Alaska, 1 (1D) woman – Cook – is Black and 3 (1D, 2R) women – Cook, Dahlstrom, and Grunwald – are white. Jessica Cook identifies as multiracial, both Black and white. No Black woman has ever served in statewide elective executive office in Alaska.

Wyoming

U.S. House

Current U.S. Representative Liz Cheney (R) holds Wyoming’s at-large U.S. House seat. Three (3R) women have served in the U.S. House from Wyoming.

In 2022, 5 (2D, 3R) women filed as candidates for the at-large U.S. House seat in Wyoming.

Based on primary election results, women are 2 of 2 (100%) major-party nominees for U.S. House in Wyoming. Three (1D, 2R) women candidates for the U.S. House were unsuccessful.

  • Incumbent U.S. Representative Liz Cheney (R) was defeated in the Republican primary by Harriet Hageman (R), who was backed in the primary by former President Donald Trump. With her defeat, there are now 17 (12D, 5R) women U.S. House incumbents that are not returning to the U.S. House. 
  • Lynette GreyBull (D) won the Democratic nomination for Wyoming’s at-large U.S. House seat and will face Harriet Hageman (R) in a woman v. woman general election contest currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report. If elected, GreyBull will be the first Native American woman to serve in the U.S. House from Wyoming.

All women who have served in the U.S. House from Wyoming to date are white.

Statewide Elective Executive Office

Women are 1 (1R) of 5 statewide elective executive officials in Wyoming. Twenty-one (5D, 16R) women have served in statewide elective executive offices in Wyoming, including 1 (1D) woman who has served as governor. Nellie Tayloe Ross (D) served from 1925 to 1927, winning a special election to fill a vacancy caused by the death of her husband. Inaugurated fifteen days before Miriam Ferguson (D-TX), Ross was the first woman in the United States sworn in as a governor.

All 5 statewide elective executive offices in Wyoming are up for election in 2022.

Five (1D, 4R) women filed as candidates for statewide elective executive office in Wyoming in 2022, including 1 (1D) woman candidate for governor.

Based on primary election results, women are 3 of 7 (42.9%) major-party nominees for statewide elective executive offices in Wyoming, including 1 of 2 (50%) Democrats and 2 of 5 (40%) Republicans. Two (2R) women candidates for statewide elective executive offices were unsuccessful.

  • Incumbent Auditor Kristi Racines (R) was unopposed in the primary. She has no major-party opponent in the general election.
  • Theresa Livingston (D) won the Democratic nomination for Governor and will compete against incumbent Mark Gordon (R).
  • Megan Degenfelder won the Republican nomination for superintendent of public instruction, defeating incumbent Superintendent of Public Instruction Brian Schroeder (R).

Of the 3 (1D, 2R) women nominees for statewide elective executive office, all are white. All women who have served in statewide elective executive office in Wyoming to date are white.

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For primary results summaries from other states and full results, including candidate lists, summaries, and historical comparisons, see CAWP’s Election Watch.

CAWP Staff