U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola, D-Alaska, speaks at the Alaska Democratic Party’s state convention on May 18 at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola, D-Alaska, speaks at the Alaska Democratic Party’s state convention on May 18 at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

Opinion: Hiding behind the Electoral College

I have no doubt that Rep. Mary Peltola is the best candidate to represent Alaska in the U.S. House of Representatives. However, the way in which she has evaded questions about supporting her party’s nominee for president is a cynical cop-out.

“I’m not voting for Trump & I’m not endorsing anyone else either,” Peltola wrote in a social media post in July after President Joe Biden withdrew from the race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris. “I won’t vote for a candidate who’s not pro-choice. I can’t ask Alaskans to vote for a candidate who’s not pro-energy.”

When asked if she would vote for Harris during last week’s televised debate with Republican candidate Nick Begich III, she said “I think both candidates are flawed and I don’t know why I would use up any of my gas on a race I don’t have any control over.”

Obviously Peltola is afraid of offending independent voters who are still open to voting for the former president. But let’s look at the some of the flaws in her statements.

There’s never been flawless candidate for any public office. Simply put, no human being is perfect. Every one of us has made countless mistakes during our lifetime. Learning from them is key to becoming a better person.

But first we have to admit we were wrong.

Yet even in the most mundane kind of circumstances, Trump has repeatedly shown he’s incapable of doing that. It’s partly what makes him the most flawed presidential candidate in American history.

There’s also never been a candidate whose policies are in perfect alignment with our own. That’s one reason why Peltola is wrong to judge Harris solely on her positions regarding unrenewable energy development. It’s also inconsistent with her boast about being able to “work across the aisle to get things done.” She should have confidence in using that skill to persuade enough Democrats and Harris to support significant increases in oil exploration and development in Alaska.

Now on the idea she doesn’t have any control over the outcome of the presidential race, I’ll turn to a former Republican governor from New Jersey.

Chris Christie stood by Trump until the day his supporters violently attacked the Capitol in an attempt to prevent Congress from certifying the 2020 election results. After ending his longshot bid for the Republican Party nomination, he said “I am going to make sure that in no way do I enable Donald Trump to ever be president of the United States again.”

Now you might think that such a pledge includes endorsing Trump’s opponent. But last week after indicating he won’t vote for Trump and won’t endorse Harris he said “I’ll vote, but I may not vote for president.” And he added “my vote is not going to matter in New Jersey, anyway. She’s going to win New Jersey by 10 to 14 points.”

Despite their staunch opposition to Trump, Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Utah Sen. Mitt Romney also seem to be hiding behind that Electoral College excuse.

However, if they and other Republicans stood firm in their convictions, their collective endorsement of Harris could influence enough undecided voters in the swing states to ensure she will be our next president. Instead, they’re improving the odds that Trump will win.

And cynical Democrats like Peltola are making it even more likely.

There’s another defect in the Electoral College worth discussing. In his fraudulent scheme to overturn the 2020 election, it let Trump focus on challenging 320,000 votes in seven closely contested states.

If the winner had been determined by the popular vote, far fewer Republicans would have indulged in his evidence free claims and wild conspiracies that there were more than 7 million votes fraudulently cast and counted across all 50 states.

The events of Jan. 6 would not be a lasting stain on our democracy.

And we wouldn’t be worried about that ugly history repeating itself.

The Electoral College was included in the Constitution as a compromise with the slave states at a time when voting for president excluded all but property-owning white men. Today it’s effectively disenfranchising 136 million registered voters in 42 states. It’s going to take a constitutional amendment to get rid of it. But it has to go.

• Rich Moniak is a Juneau resident and retired civil engineer with more than 25 years of experience working in the public sector. Columns, My Turns and Letters to the Editor represent the view of the author, not the view of the Juneau Empire. Have something to say? Here’s how to submit a My Turn or letter.

More in Opinion

Web
Have something to say?

Here’s how to add your voice to the conversation.

A map shows state-by-state results of aggregate polls for U.S. presidential candidates Donald Trump (red) and Kamala Harris (blue), with states too close to call in grey, as of Oct. 29. (Wikimedia Commons map)
Opinion: The silent Republican Party betrayal

On Monday night, Donald Trump reported that two Pennsylvania counties had received… Continue reading

(Juneau Empire file photo)
Letters: Vote no on ballot measure 2 for the future of Alaska

The idea that ranked choice voting (RCV) is confusing is a red… Continue reading

(Laurie Craig / Juneau Empire file photo)
10 reasons to put country above party labels in election

Like many of you I grew up during an era when people… Continue reading

(Juneau Empire file photo)
Letter: Alaskans are smart, can see the advantages of RCV and open primaries

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan organization that neither endorses… Continue reading

Tongass National Forest. (U.S. Forest Service photo)
My Turn: Why I oppose privatization of the Tongass rainforest

Sen. Lisa Murkowski has been trying to privatize the Tongass for years.… Continue reading

(Juneau Empire file photo)
Letter: Supporting ranked choice voting is the honest choice

Some folks are really up in arms about the increased freedom afforded… Continue reading

(Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire file photo)
My Turn: Election presents stark contrasts

This election, both at the state and federal level, presents a choice… Continue reading

(Juneau Empire file photo)
Letter: Praise for Begich overlooks his support of Trump

Tom Boutin’s My Turn column praised Nick Begich. However, he left out… Continue reading

Most Read