Campaigning in Alaska

[⛄]

I recall Obama stating in his famous "57 states" speech that he wasn't allowed to Alaska and Hawaii.
That leads me to the question if any presidential candidate has ever been out canvassing in Alaska, be it for a primary or for a general election.
I mean Alaska is huuuuge, sparsely populated, far away, freezing cold; you may reckon that your jet plane will not always be able to land or take off from there. (and even if, how do you get to all those towns?)
How much would a candidate be willing to invest? How much would a campaign cost him? Which cities towns villages would he pay a visit?

In 2000, Alaska was the first state to hold a Republican caucus (along with Iowa, of course). Had any of the GOP candidates canvassed there in the run-up to the election?

Since Alaska has been trending heavily in favor of the Democrats, it will soon become a swing state. But also a battleground state?

[Indy Texas]

Campaigning in Alaska in fall/winter sounds like a nightmare. Though I'd imagine if you were a presidential candidate and you were going to go, you'd basically be going to Juneau and nowhere else, since that's where the bulk of the population is and it is a pretty easily accessible city with a moderate climate. No one in their right mind is going to go to the Aleutian Islands or venturing through the North Slope to go to villages with 30 people in them. No disrespect intended to the people who live up there but it's just not worth it.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

I don't know if Nixon ever personally went to Alaska to campaign, but I do know that his 1960 campaign did try to run a 50-state strategy rather than concentrating on swing states.  It's thought the campaign's lack of focus contributed to Kennedy's win.

[Sec. of State Superique]

Just put Mike Gravel on your ticket and you are fine

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I wouldn't read to much into Alaska's 2012 trend. Keep in mind that Romney did horribly with even some traditional Republican minority groups and he especially tanked amongst Alaskan natives if I recall correctly. Even if the state does shift more towards the center, there is enough between the Mat-su, Fairbanks and the like to keep the state in the Republican collumn.

I suppose Alaska is handled by surrogates and local organization. Ironically it is probably one of the few states were retail politics is more effect precisely because of how disbursed it is. It is also a state where money isn't worth all that much since the lack of concentration and Anchorage cannot be that expensive to advertise in. You could be competative if you have a small plane and $50,000 (okay, maybe $100,000 ). That is probably why it was so easy for Miller to beat Murkowski in the primary and conversely for Murkowski to win to the general election as a write-in.

[I Will Not Be Wrong]

Excluding the abortion issue, Alaska seems to be trending hard left on social issues.

[PJ]

It's three electoral votes spread over an area larger than all other states. It's simply not worth it to campaign there unless its a statewide election. I could see someone hitting the major cities if it becomes a battleground, but no more than that.

[Lief 🗽]

Nixon campaigned in Anchorage on the Sunday before the 1960 election: http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=25324

[Hatman 🍁]

Campaigning in Alaska in fall/winter sounds like a nightmare. Though I'd imagine if you were a presidential candidate and you were going to go, you'd basically be going to Juneau and nowhere else, since that's where the bulk of the population is and it is a pretty easily accessible city with a moderate climate. No one in their right mind is going to go to the Aleutian Islands or venturing through the North Slope to go to villages with 30 people in them. No disrespect intended to the people who live up there but it's just not worth it.

Umm, Anchorage is the largest city, not Juneau.

[Sec. of State Superique]

Campaigning in Alaska in fall/winter sounds like a nightmare. Though I'd imagine if you were a presidential candidate and you were going to go, you'd basically be going to Juneau and nowhere else, since that's where the bulk of the population is and it is a pretty easily accessible city with a moderate climate. No one in their right mind is going to go to the Aleutian Islands or venturing through the North Slope to go to villages with 30 people in them. No disrespect intended to the people who live up there but it's just not worth it.

Umm, Anchorage is the largest city, not Juneau.

That was exactly what I was thinking about =P

[⛄]

you'd basically be going to Juneau and nowhere else, since that's where the bulk of the population is

No, that's Anchorage. (40% of the state's total population)

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Until the color changes on the EV Map one time no one is going to really spend time there.

[⛄]

It's three electoral votes spread over an area larger than all other states. It's simply not worth it to campaign there unless its a statewide election. I could see someone hitting the major cities if it becomes a battleground, but no more than that.

That's a good question...
How many villages do statewide candidates pay a visit to?
Or do they just prowl around Anchorage and Juneau (and maybe Fairbanks)?

[Indy Texas]

Campaigning in Alaska in fall/winter sounds like a nightmare. Though I'd imagine if you were a presidential candidate and you were going to go, you'd basically be going to Juneau and nowhere else, since that's where the bulk of the population is and it is a pretty easily accessible city with a moderate climate. No one in their right mind is going to go to the Aleutian Islands or venturing through the North Slope to go to villages with 30 people in them. No disrespect intended to the people who live up there but it's just not worth it.

Umm, Anchorage is the largest city, not Juneau.

That was exactly what I was thinking about =P

I was thinking of whatever the large coastal city they have is.

[New_Conservative]

Alaska is certainly becoming increasingly libertarian.

I think the notion that it will be a swing state soon is overrated though.

But, I am sure a presidential candidate would try to make it to Juneau and Anchorage to campaign.

[Lief 🗽]

Alaska is certainly becoming increasingly libertarian.

No.

[solarstorm]

What happens if Alaska gets a second congressional district?
I'd guess CD-1 would embrace Anchorage and the "rest" would be CD-2.
Would there be any campaigning possible for a House candidate? The results in CD-2 would be like random.
If Alaska even chooses to implement the NE-ME-method for presidential elections, Election Night in Alaska would eventually become extremely exciting.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Unless the size of the House were considerably increased, even if Alaska were to have greater population growth than it currently has, I can't see Alaska getting a second district before the 2050 census.  At current rates, it probably would be the 2080 census.  So, not exactly something to be worried about.

[Sol]

What happens if Alaska gets a second congressional district?
I'd guess CD-1 would embrace Anchorage and the "rest" would be CD-2.
Would there be any campaigning possible for a House candidate? The results in CD-2 would be like random.
If Alaska even chooses to implement the NE-ME-method for presidential elections, Election Night in Alaska would eventually become extremely exciting.

I assume whichever CD had the Mat-Su valley would vote R, and the other one would be swingy.

[solarstorm]

Unless the size of the House were considerably increased, even if Alaska were to have greater population growth than it currently has, I can't see Alaska getting a second district before the 2050 census.  At current rates, it probably would be the 2080 census.  So, not exactly something to be worried about.

But you have to admit that campaigning in the bigger district would be impossible, wouldn't it?

[solarstorm]

What happens if Alaska gets a second congressional district?
I'd guess CD-1 would embrace Anchorage and the "rest" would be CD-2.
Would there be any campaigning possible for a House candidate? The results in CD-2 would be like random.
If Alaska even chooses to implement the NE-ME-method for presidential elections, Election Night in Alaska would eventually become extremely exciting.

I assume whichever CD had the Mat-Su valley would vote R, and the other one would be swingy.

40% of all Alaskans live in Anchorage. (ElectionGuy once made a map about the share of the biggest city in each state.)
Thus I think that Mat-Su would be split into two congressional districts.

We have so many map experts here. Doesn't anyone want to make an Alaskan map with two CD's?

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Unless the size of the House were considerably increased, even if Alaska were to have greater population growth than it currently has, I can't see Alaska getting a second district before the 2050 census.  At current rates, it probably would be the 2080 census.  So, not exactly something to be worried about.

But you have to admit that campaigning in the bigger district would be impossible, wouldn't it?

Not really.  Assuming that population remains proportional to the current one, a reasonable choice for the smaller district would be Anchorage and Kodiak Burroughs and most of Kenai Burrough (all but Seward and the immediate area in eastern Kenai) with the rest of the state in the larger district.  The Fairbanks North Star and Matanuska-Susitna Boroughs would provide access to over half the population of the larger district in an area smaller than Indiana.  Add in Juneau and you have two-thirds of the population in an area the size of Indiana.  I don't really see where it would be that much more difficult than campaigning statewide currently is in Alaska.

By the way, the proposed split into two districts are about the same politically and both have roughly 65% white population, tho the mix of minorities is different, with the large district having a larger proportion of natives, which should come as no surprise.