After challenge from their own party, two rural Democrats could lose state House seats

Dean Westlake is challenging Barrow Rep. Bennie Nageak in the Democratic primary; in 2014, Westlake lost the race by 131 votes. Photo: Rachel Waldholz/Alaska's Energy Desk
Dean Westlake is challenging Barrow Rep. Bennie Nageak in the Democratic primary; in 2014, Westlake lost the race by 131 votes. Westlake is winning by five votes, but that state election officials say they still have absentee and questioned ballots to count. (Photo by Rachel Waldholz/Alaska’s Energy Desk)

As votes continue to trickle in, a hotly contested race in the North Slope and Northwest Arctic Borough has two bush Democrats within five votes of each other. 

Rep. Benjamin Nageak raises his fist in solidarity with the effort to reduce domestic violence in Alaska at the Choose Respect rally on the Capitol steps, March 27, 2014. (Photo by Skip Gray/KTOO)
Rep. Benjamin Nageak raises his fist in solidarity with the effort to reduce domestic violence in Alaska at the Choose Respect rally on the Capitol steps, March 27, 2014. (Photo by Skip Gray/KTOO)

Incumbent Rep. Ben Nageak is slightly behind in his race against newcomer Dean Westlake. All precincts in that district have been counted, but the state Division of Elections still has absentee and questioned ballots to count.

Westlake ran against Nageak two years ago and lost by 131 votes. 

Nageak declined to comment and Westlake is out of reach at his fish camp.

Nageak is one of two rural Democrats targeted by members of their own party for caucusing with the Republican-led majority in the state House.

House Democrats are hoping to build a bipartisan coalition next year.

A challenger to Democrat Rep. Bob Herron is winning the race for House District 38. Zach Fansler has clinched his lead over Herron with nearly 57 percent of the vote. There is one district left to report in that race. It covers Bethel, the lower Kuskokwim River and several coastal villages. 

Herron did not respond to multiple requests for comment, Fansler also has not responded. His campaign manager Mitchel Forbes said they won’t talk about results until every vote has been counted. 

Zach Fansler and Bob Herron
Zach Fansler and Bob Herron meet outside of KYUK for an August 2, 2016 campaign debate in Bethel. (Photo by Geraldine Brink/KYUK)

That district had the largest voter turnout in the state with 21 percent of the registered voters casting a ballot.

With no Republicans in either race, neither candidate will have a general election challenger.

Rashah McChesney

Daily News Editor

I help the newsroom establish daily news priorities and do hands-on editing to ensure a steady stream of breaking and enterprise news for a local and regional audience.

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