Mary Peltola, first Alaska Native elected to Congress, will be sworn in today
JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:
For the first time in almost 50 years, the U.S. House has sworn in a new member from Alaska. Democrat Mary Peltola is the first Alaska Native member of Congress. With an emphasis on civility and respect for other candidates, Peltola beat Donald Trump's favorite, Sarah Palin, to win a special election for the state's only House seat. And she'll have to do the same in November to keep it.
Alaska Public Media's Liz Ruskin reports from the U.S. Capitol.
LIZ RUSKIN, BYLINE: Peltola joins a freshman House class that includes brash partisans. She's a different sort. She lowers her voice for media interviews.
MARY PELTOLA: My hope is to take the values of collaboration and peacemaking and those kind of qualities. I hope that I can reflect those.
RUSKIN: As a Yup'ik from rural western Alaska, Peltola says she's been taught to consider community harmony and being part of something larger. She says she's proud of her ethnicities, all of them. She often points out that her dad is a white guy from Nebraska. On the eve of her swearing in, Peltola went on MSNBC and pushed back at a question from host Joy Reid that invoked identity politics.
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PELTOLA: You talk about one group having suffered more than another group, and I think that it's important in America that we're not trying to one-up each other on our level of suffering.
RUSKIN: Peltola likes to say that no American is her enemy. Her radical moderation hasn't dampened enthusiasm for her among Alaskans.
BRIAN GUVENIR: Oh, there's Mary Peltola. I didn't even know she was going to be here and a wonderful surprise. I have just sent a message to my wife. She says, you're so lucky.
RUSKIN: Anchorage resident Brian Guvenir is visiting D.C. and was delighted to run into Peltola in front of the Capitol. He's a big fan of the civility she brought to the campaign.
GUVENIR: We're cheering for her so much, so much. I think this is a big task, big responsibility. I know she's somewhat nervous, but that's OK. That's - we're cheering her to do this job for all Alaskans.
RUSKIN: Peltola is the first person elected under Alaska's new ranked choice voting system. Almost 60% of Alaskans chose one of the two Republicans, Palin or Nick Begich, as their first choice. The new system allows conservatives to avoid splitting their votes by selecting the other Republican as their second choice. But Palin and Begich are in a bitter feud. That could help Peltola win again in November.
For NPR News, I'm Liz Ruskin in Washington.
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