OPINION: Can we trust Nick Begich?

In the recent debate with Rep. Mary Peltola, Nick Begich provided misleading and conflicting information. Before you decide who to vote for in Alaska’s Congressional race, please compare his debate answers to his past statements. Begich’s tendency to give different answers to different people is disturbing.

When Begich was on right-wing talk radio, he trashed Social Security, calling it a “Ponzi scheme.” Yet when appearing in Alaska Public Media’s debate, Begich claimed to fully support Social Security. Which statement is true? Begich must be lying to someone; it’s just unclear to whom.

Begich attacked Rep. Peltola for saying she had a leading role in getting the Willow oil project approved. Everyone in the construction, oil and gas industry knows that Mary worked hard to deliver that project for Alaska. Rep. Peltola’s service in the House was essential to deliver it. Why? She got Democratic U.S. House leadership to support it. Rep. Peltola worked with local labor unions to persuade the administration to approve the Willow despite strong lobbying against it by powerful Lower 48 groups. If Nick Begich had been in Congress, there was little chance that Willow would have moved forward. It took a Democrat to get approval from a Democratic administration. Those are the facts, and it is dishonest of Begich to attack Mary when she did help deliver Willow.

Additionally, Begich gave two opposing answers in the same debate about the proposed merger of Fred Meyer and Carrs grocery stores. Alaska’s bipartisan delegation in Congress and individuals from across the state testified to the Federal Trade Commission in opposition to this merger, stating it would reduce competition and increase costs to Alaskans. It would also weaken supply chains and contribute to food insecurity. During the debate, Begich tried to claim he supported competition and the merger. After being pressed by the moderator to clarify his answer, Begich said “I support the ability for firms to merge. OK, we need to make sure that that ability occurs, but we have to protect the consumer as well.”

That answer doesn’t make any sense. By definition, monopolies result in higher prices. A merger of the two primary grocery corporations in Alaska would absolutely raise prices. In fact, take JD Vance’s word for it — Vance has acknowledged that the Federal Trade Commission, which is seeking to block the merger, “has been doing a good job under Commissioner Lina Khan,” who came to Alaska and listened to public input on this issue.

Unfortunately, some politicians on the campaign trail will say anything to get elected. If someone can’t give a straight answer, do we really think they could be trusted to represent Alaska’s interests in Congress?

Robin Smith is a 43-year resident of Anchorage.

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