Mary Peltola

The first Alaska Native to serve in Congress and first woman to hold Alaska's House seat, Peltola beat Republicans Sarah Palin and Nick Begich in ranked choice election results announced Wednesday.

Peltola is drawing an unusual amount of national media attention as the first Alaska Native elected to Congress, and even more because of her special election win over Republican Sarah Palin.

The daughter of a Yu'pik mom and a dad from Nebraska, Peltola defeated Sarah Palin in a special election. She'll be the first Democrat to represent Alaska in the U.S. House in 50 years.

Mary Peltola narrowly won a special election that was determined by a ranked-choice voting tabulation. She will become the first Alaska Native in Congress.

As Alaska tallies votes for a special election to the U.S. House, Democrat Mary Peltola is hoping to keep a lead ahead of Republican Sarah Palin. Peltola would be the first Alaska native in Congress.

Over a decade after she ran for vice president and then resigned as Alaska governor, Palin is in both a special election for U.S. House on Tuesday and a primary for the full term starting next year.

There is a good chance these will be the last bids for seats in Congress for two of the best-known women in American politics — Republican icons Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Sarah Palin of Alaska.

The top four vote-getters in the special primary advance to a special election, set for Aug. 16, in which ranked choice voting will be used.