The Case Against Nick Begich

Nick Begich is not the Alaska-first congressman he claims to be. He’s a far-right multimillionaire born into privilege, who built his fortune outsourcing American jobs overseas before running for Congress to enrich himself and rubber-stamp his party’s national agenda, actively making life harder and more expensive for everyday Alaskans.

In his first term alone, Begich has sided with corporate interests; championed tariffs that are crushing Alaska’s fishing, small business, and tourism industries; and voted for the Big, Ugly Bill that guts Medicaid, spikes health insurance costs, and strips food assistance from Alaskan families – all while personally profiting from those policies.

Alaska deserves a representative who wakes up every morning fighting for fishermen in Kodiak, families in Fairbanks, and elders in rural villages already paying $10 a gallon for fuel. The last thing they need is a millionaire politician like Begich working for himself. While Alaska families watch their checks shrink, their health care costs spike, their Medicaid gutted, and their grocery and fuel bills climb higher every month, Begich is voting to give himself a tax break and calling it all a “transformative victory” and “a great bill for Alaska.” He has said he has “no doubt” about his disastrous votes this Congress – so Alaskans can have no doubt about kicking him out of office in November.

While Begich serves as an out-of-touch, lower 48 Washington insider, Bill Hill is a Dena’ina Athabascan educator and fisherman from Kokhanok who has fished Bristol Bay’s sockeye run and been shaped by every part of the state – living and working in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, and Naknek. A father and grandfather, commercial fisherman, union construction worker, and educator of nearly 25 years, Bill understands the economic pressures families face and connects with Alaskans across party lines thanks to his lived experience across the state. He is running to protect Alaska’s values as a pro-choice and pro-gun rights independent – “a unique blend that perfectly fits Alaska’s unique politics.” He is running to lower costs, take on D.C. corruption, and make government work for hardworking Alaskans, because he is one.

Nick Begich is an Out-of-Touch Multi-Millionaire Who Went to Washington to Get Richer, Not Fight for Alaska

While many in the Begich family have served Alaska honorably, they have been quick to warn their fellow Alaskans not to let Nick’s last name fool them, going on record opposing his actions in office. Nick was born into one of Alaska’s most powerful political dynasties and has spent his career cashing in on that name, that network, and that privilege while working Alaskans struggle to make ends meet.

Begich’s central pitch is that he’s a proven businessman who will put Alaskans first. But he built a significant portion of his personal wealth through ventures that explicitly promoted sending American jobs overseas so he and his investors could pocket the savings. Now he champions “Made in America” in front of Alaska workers, a claim his own business record makes clear he doesn’t even take seriously.

His personal financial disclosures also reveal holdings in controversial mining-related entities. His father appeared before the Alaska Miners Association promoting his business venture with his son, while Begich championed mining policy priorities, and applauded the passage of the Critical Mineral Dominance Act – legislation that could directly benefit his personal investments. His campaign website touts mining policy as a core solution for Alaska – framed as a public good, while serving a very private interest. When Begich votes to open federal lands to mining and reduce regulatory oversight of the industry, he is serving his own bottom line.

Begich was also a proud member of the DOGE Caucus, and repeatedly praised its work, claiming “Americans want DOGE.” Yet, recent reporting shows that his targeting of federal jobs left Alaska “among the states that lost the largest share of its federal workforce,” losing 10.5% of its federal jobs throughout critical industries like the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The cuts also threaten military bases, veterans hospitals, national forests, commercial fishing, subsistence management and public safety across the state.

His anti-worker record also speaks for itself. Begich has repeatedly voted against strengthening workers and unions, including opposing the right to organize and backing budget measures that disproportionately harm working people. In a move that would make Don Young turn over in his grave, Begich even made the decision not to join his fellow Republicans in passing a bipartisan bill to bring back union protections for the federal workforce, despite it impacting a huge swath of his constituents, and has failed to sign on to the PRO Act. And while Alaska workers struggle with rising costs, Begich is personally benefitting from the Big, Ugly Bill, legislation that guts the very programs Alaska’s blue-collar workers and working families depend on to get by.

Bill Hill is a working commercial fisherman, union tradesman, and small business owner who is fighting to give working people the chance to get ahead, calling for taxing the billionaire class and closing corporate tax loopholes. It’s why he has the support of major union groups across Alaska, including the Alaska AFL-CIO, carpenters, ironworkers, firefighters, educators, federal workers, and several other unions representing tens of thousands of Alaska workers.

Nick Begich is Raising Costs and Hurting Alaska’s Economy

Washington D.C.’s reckless tariffs are likely to cost American households over $2,500 this year. For Alaska families – who already pay significantly more than the national average for groceries, fuel, and basic goods – the damage is even more severe. Alaska’s Permanent Fund suffered multi-billion dollar declines in the wake of the economic chaos triggered by the Administration’s tariff regime. Meanwhile, Begich publicly defended them even as Alaskan businesses begged for relief, and voted to support the tariff agenda again, again, and again. When the House voted to end the Canadian tariffs devastating Alaska’s border communities, Begich broke with common sense and voted to extend them. Even Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski publicly warned that tariffs could hit Alaska’s fishing and mining sectors particularly hard. Begich voted for them anyway.

Alaska’s economy is built on industries uniquely vulnerable to trade war disruptions: commercial fishing, seafood processing, mining, small businesses, travel, and tourism. China’s retaliatory tariffs have delivered a serious blow to Alaska’s seafood industry. Alaska Airlines has been forced to cut flights because of tariff-driven cost increases. In Alaska’s border towns, fears about higher prices, reduced trade, and travel boycotts are fueling real economic anxiety. Nick Begich heard all of this, and voted to keep the tariffs in place anyway.

As a result, Alaska business confidence has fallen to its lowest level since the pandemic. Two-thirds of Alaska businesses now expect the economy to worsen. Small business owners across Anchorage are sounding the alarm about higher costs, supply chain disruptions, and uncertainty that makes it impossible to plan, invest, or grow. Nick Begich chose repeatedly and enthusiastically, to impose higher costs on these Alaskan business interests he was elected to serve.

Bill Hill opposes the tariffs squeezing Alaska’s fishing, tourism, and small-business economy and has pledged to fight for new energy projects — the kind Begich’s votes have threatened— to bring down Alaskans’ fuel and heating costs.

Nick Begich Has Rubber-Stamped His Party’s Agenda at Alaska’s Expense

No single vote tells the story of Begich’s priorities more clearly than his deciding vote for the Big, Ugly Bill, which he called a “transformative victory” and said he had “no doubt” about voting for. This hypocrisy came after he campaigned on lowering health care costs to get elected and Republican and Independent state lawmakers detailed how Alaska “cannot survive this bill.”

Here are a few of the impacts Nick Begich called “great… for Alaska:”

Gutting health care for more than 35,000 Alaskans, when 1 in 3 Alaskans depend on Medicaid. Threatening food assistance for nearly 30,000 Alaskan households, when around 1 in 10 of his constituents rely on these benefits each month. Cutting over $63 million in estimated Medicaid revenue from Alaska hospitals already stretched thin. As a result, five Alaska hospitals are at risk and two clinics are closing or have closed their doors.

Planned Parenthood warned the bill could force the closure of the last two Planned Parenthood clinics in Alaska, eliminating critical health services for communities already facing limited care access. And his refusal to extend the ACA tax credits raised costs for over 25,000 Alaskans – some of whom have been forced to pay 295% more for their monthly premiums – or forced them to abandon their plans altogether. Alaska saw a direct 9% decrease in enrollment because of Begich’s actions.

Begich also voted to cut $15 million annually for Alaska public media, threatening emergency weather alerts, disaster communications, and public safety infrastructure – especially critical in Bush and remote communities – even as western Alaskans faced a devastating natural disaster. He later tried to justify his actions by making unsubstantiated claims, forcing his own constituents to correct the record.

Begich has also been a fierce defender of the reckless war in Iran spiking the cost of fuel. Alaska’s rural and remote communities, many accessible only by air or water, are profoundly vulnerable to those price hikes. These are communities where residents already pay $10 or more per gallon of fuel. Experts have warned that the war is producing a “survival scenario,” Alaska freight shipping costs are going up, and rising gas prices are squeezing Alaska drivers and their household budgets. In the face of all of this, Nick Begich voted to rubber-stamp the war 5 times – putting his party’s agenda ahead of the Alaskan families who will pay the price at the pump, at the grocery store, and for their heating bills.

The bottom line: Begich votes to cut essential services for Alaskans to give tax breaks to himself, billionaires and wealthy corporations, while Alaskan families pay the price. Bill Hill supports putting an end to the reckless war, expanding Medicaid coverage, extending the federal health care subsidies Begich voted against, and capping prescription drug prices – the opposite of the health care sell out Begich has championed.

Nick Begich Has Gone Washington and Stopped Listening to Alaskans

Nick Begich came to Congress promising, “I am not a Representative who forgets where they came from or who they represent.” What Alaskans have gotten instead is a congressman who flies home on the rare occasion only to sell unpopular votes, duck protesters, refuse to hold town halls, and hide out in his suit and office in D.C. when constituents demand answers. The pattern is clear: the more damage his votes do to Alaska families, the less willing Nick Begich is to face them.

When Begich returned to Alaska after voting for the Big, Ugly Bill, he did not come home to listen to Alaskans whose Medicaid coverage, food assistance, and health insurance were directly on the line. He came home to hide and sell. He repeatedly refused to sit for interviews to explain or defend his vote. In Fairbanks, protesters showed up demanding a town hall and were met with silence. At the University of Alaska Fairbanks, he actively avoided constituents gathered outside. In Juneau, rather than address the real pain his vote was causing, he touted the bill as good for Alaska – a talking point that rang hollow for the thousands of Alaskans facing Medicaid cuts and spiking premiums.

As Alaskan voters have pointed out – Begich is a “coward” that “must be replaced,” lacking in courage and “not up to the job,” because he is “out of touch on the affordability struggles of Alaska families.”

This is a congressman who will stand in front of a Republican audience and celebrate a bill that guts health care, but will not stand in front of the Alaskans who will lose their coverage and answer for it.

While Begich ducks protesters and skips town halls, Bill Hill has spent his campaign showing up in every corner of Alaska – from Ketchikan to Kodiak to Fairbanks, talking directly with Alaskans about the cost of living and the issues facing their families.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING 

The New York Times: Alaska Cannot Survive This Bill [New York Times, 6/27/25]

“This is not about partisanship…Our focus is squarely on the survival of the people we represent. […]

As long-serving members of the Alaska House of Representatives and the Alaska State Senate, we’ve faced many daunting economic and fiscal challenges, but we’ve never seen federal policy whose impacts are so far-reaching and damaging as what is before us now.” 

Alaska Beacon: Alaska’s US Rep. Begich: ‘No doubt’ before vote on big congressional budget bill [Alaska Beacon, 7/4/25]

Alaska Public Media: Begich says GOP bill is ‘great’ for Alaska, despite cuts to Medicaid and SNAP [Alaska Public Media, 5/22/25]

“‘This is a great bill for Alaska,’ [Begich] said in his Washington, D.C. office, a few hours after the vote…

Nationally, the bill cuts almost $100 billion a year from Medicaid… and SNAP.” 

Anchorage Daily News: Rep. Begich celebrates passage of tax-cut bill that could cause thousands of Alaskans to lose health coverage [Anchorage Daily News, 7/3/25]

Anchorage Daily News: Rep. Begich votes in favor of tax bill that could cut health and food benefits for thousands of Alaskans [Anchorage Daily News, 5/22/25]

American Journal News: Alaskans pay a lot for health care. Nick Begich made it worse. [American Journal News, 3/10/26]

“Mark Robokoff, who owns a pet supply shop in Alaska, told the Anchorage Daily News last year that his monthly premium jumped by 300%.

‘​​I need my government, specifically my congressional delegation, to speak for me,’ Robokoff said. ‘I feel absolutely abandoned.’”

Alaska Beacon: Alaska’s Rep. Nick Begich votes against 3-year extension of federal health care subsidies [Alaska Beacon, 1/28/26]

American Journal News: Nick Begich defended tariffs and outsourced jobs [American Journal News, 8/17/26]

Anchorage Daily News: ‘Punishing us’: Alaska small-business owners consider next steps amid steep rises in health care costs [Anchorage Daily News, 11/16/25]

Anchorage Daily News: Letter: Begich is out of touch on the affordability struggles of Alaska families [Anchorage Daily News, 1/21/26]

Health insurance costs are skyrocketing in Alaska, and Nick Begich is not just oblivious to the concern but is actually voting to keep costs high.

With some households now paying up to $75 or more per day just on premiums, Rep. Begich is profoundly out of touch with the affordability struggles facing many Alaskan families.

The Alaska Current: Exclusive: Poll shows independent Bill Hill has a real shot at winning Alaska’s US House seat [Alaska Current, 8/12/26]

KFSK: Independent U.S. House candidate Bill Hill talks corruption, cost of living during Petersburg visit [KFSK, 8/10/26]

KYUK: Independent US House candidate Bill Hill says he brings first-hand understanding of Bush Alaska [KYUK, 4/3/26]

Intrafish: Alaska House candidate takes on bycatch and billionaires [Intrafish, 1/27/26]

PATH TO VICTORY

In a state Donald Trump carried by 13 points, Begich won by just 2.4 – a massive underperformance that predates every damaging vote he cast in this Congress. That was before the tariffs crushing Alaska’s fishing and small business communities, before he called gutting Medicaid a “transformative victory,” and before he started ducking town halls and dodging his own constituents. Every vote he has cast this Congress has widened the gap between him and the Alaskans he was sent to represent.

The environment is breaking against him. Democrats are overperforming their 2024 baselines by an average of 17 points nationally in congressional special elections this cycle, even in deep red territory. With Mary Peltola at the top of the ticket running statewide, resources and enthusiasm will be flowing into Alaska at a scale that changes the playing field for every down-ballot race.

Recent polls show “Bill Hill has a real shot at winning Alaska’s US House seat” in a margin of error race, where “in just about every category of favorability, Hill comes out on top.” According to the polling, voters who heard both candidates’ profiles went 52% for Hill and 42% for Begich. And among voters who know both candidates, Hill leads by 21 points. He also leads by 16 points with fellow independents.

In a state where over 60% of voters identify as independent, Bill Hill is building the coalition and record-breaking resources needed to win. Alaskans will elect a lifelong, hands-on-the-net Alaskan running to expand health coverage and lower costs, against a multimillionaire incumbent already underperforming Trump by double digits. Because the environment is moving sharply against extreme Republican priorities and towards authentic candidates like Bill, Alaska is squarely in play to flip.

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