ANCHORAGE, Alaska — National Democrats are lining up behind Bill Hill, a fisherman and educator they hope can oust GOP Rep. Nick Begich from Alaska’s sole congressional district in November. He’s doing his best not to associate with the party. Hill, who’s running as an independent, has built his campaign around rejecting both parties and has repeatedly declined to say which he would caucus with in Washington. He’s part of a group of candidates this cycle backed by Democrats but running as independents in historically red areas — a trend that underscores the party’s enduring unpopularity in places President Donald Trump won in 2024, even as the political tides have shifted against Republicans. “We represent all Alaskans across the political spectrum, and I’m hopeful we can build a coalition that can beat Nick Begich,” Hill told Playbook last week, asked if the Democratic Party label was a liability in Alaska, which Trump won by 13 points two years ago. “Alaska is tough to fit in a neat little political box,” he added. “Sixty percent of us do not identify with either the Republican or the Democratic Party, and I truly want to represent that in Congress.” Hill told Playbook he would be a fierce advocate for gun rights in Congress — bucking traditional Democratic dogma — and work with Republicans to develop Alaska’s oil and gas industry. Would he commit to caucusing with one of the parties? “I'm committing to the Alaskan people that I will work with the people that are going to bring wins for Alaskans, and I'll work against people that are hurting Alaskans,” Hill said. Every independent federal lawmaker currently caucuses with one of the parties: Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Angus King of Maine caucus with Democrats, and Rep. Kevin Kiley of California with Republicans. Not caucusing with either party would likely create issues with receiving committee assignments, but Hill said he was “absolutely not” concerned about that. Hill is not alone. Democrats are backing independents in three Senate races this cycle: Dan Osborn in Nebraska (which Trump won by 20 points in 2024), Todd Achilles in Idaho (Trump +36) and Brian Bengs in South Dakota (Trump +30). In Montana (Trump +20), the state’s Democratic Party chair resigned from the role last week to endorse independent Seth Bodnar for Senate over Alani Bankhead, the Democratic nominee. The pattern indicates that even as Democrats have expanded their map this year, they acknowledge in a handful of cases their best chance of beating Republicans on their home turf is to run candidates who eschew both party labels. Nationwide, Americans are more likely to view the Democratic Party favorably than the Republican Party, but at 43% and 35%, respectfully, both remain largely unpopular, according to a Gallup poll released last week. Complicating Hill’s bid is the Democrat on the ballot: Eric Hafner, who advanced to the general election despite having no clear ties to Alaska and currently serving a jail sentence in New York. Public polls generally show Begich winning by a comfortable margin, but Democrats in the state are pinning their hopes on more polling slips. “We’ve seen independents overperform prodigiously in Alaska when running head to head against a Republican,” said John-Henry Heckendorn, a Democratic strategist in Anchorage. “I think the fact that he doesn't have a ‘D’ next to his name on the ballot will net him more votes from center-right voters.” A representative for Begich did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But Begich has sought to tear down Hill’s independent label, casting him not just as a Democrat but a member of the party’s far-left flank who has donated to Democratic leaders, including Sanders, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Kamala Harris. “The truth of the matter is, you’re not independent,” Begich told Hill during a debate last week. “You’re aligned with socialist Democrats, and you’re too progressive for Alaska.” Hill admitted he had “made some donations to people that I don't fully agree with.” NOW READ THIS: “Two Dans, four choices, one big headache for GOP in Alaska Senate race,” by POLITICO’s Lisa Kashinsky and Irie: “Some GOP operatives fear [GOP Sen. Dan Sullivan] will lose first-choice votes to retired teacher Dan J. Sullivan Jr. — and that supporters of his longshot rival might not rank the incumbent at all in the state’s unusual election system where voters can pick backup options that get counted if no candidate clears 50% of the initial vote. Two recent polls that simulated ranked-choice tabulations showed [Democrat Mary] Peltola as the victor.” Good Tuesday afternoon. Thanks for reading Playbook PM. Drop me a line at isentner@politico.com.
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