The 2006 Alaska gubernatorial general election took place on November 7, 2006. The former mayor of
Wasilla,
Sarah Palin, defeated incumbent governor Frank Murkowski in the Republican primary, and then went on to defeat former governor
Tony Knowles in the general election. Palin became the first governor of the state to be born after Alaskan statehood.
Palin would later become the unsuccessful Republican vice presidential nominee in 2008, before resigning as governor in 2009.
Primaries
Republican primary
Incumbent
Frank Murkowski (R), first elected governor in 2002, ran for reelection but was defeated in a landslide in the
Republican primary by former Wasilla mayor
Sarah Palin on August 22, 2006. Murkowski's approval rating at the time of the election was
19%. Murkowski also faced opposition from former state lawmaker and
Fairbanks businessman
John Binkley.
Former two-term Governor
Tony Knowles and state lawmaker
Eric Croft competed for the
Democratic ticket for governor. Knowles had a substantial lead over Croft, both at the polls and with fund raising.[citation needed]
Andrew Halcro – former Republican state representative, businessman
General election
Campaign
Republican candidate Sarah Palin, Democratic candidate Tony Knowles, and independent candidate Andrew Halcro faced each other in the general election. Anchorage businessman
Andrew Halcro ran as an Independent in the race for governor. Halcro has served in the Alaska State legislature in the past, and is known as a fiscal hawk. Halcro collected about 4,000 signatures to be placed on the general election ballot without party affiliation. Despite Knowles' experience, Palin was able to win.