2006 Alaska gubernatorial election

← 2002 November 7, 2006 2010 →

Nominee Sarah Palin Tony Knowles Andrew Halcro Party Republican Democratic Independent Running mate Sean Parnell Ethan Berkowitz Fay Von Gemmingen Popular vote 114,697 97,238 22,443 Percentage 48.3% 41.0% 9.5%

Borough and census area results Palin:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Knowles:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%

Governor before election Frank Murkowski Republican Elected Governor Sarah Palin Republican

Elections in Alaska
Federal government Presidential elections 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Presidential primaries and caucuses Democratic 2008 2016 2020 Republican 2008 2012 2016 2024 U.S. Senate elections 1958 1960 1962 1966 1968 1970 sp 1972 1974 1978 1980 1984 1986 1990 1992 1996 1998 2002 2004 2008 2010 2014 2016 2020 2022 2026 2028 U.S. House of Representatives elections 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1973 sp 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 sp 2022 2024
State government Statewide elections 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 Gubernatorial elections 1958 1962 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022 2026 Senate elections 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 House of Representatives elections 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 Ballot measures 1990 2 1998 2 2008 ACWI 2014 2 2020 2
Anchorage Mayoral elections 1981 1984 1987 1990 1994 1997 2000 2003 2006 2009 2012 2015 2018 2021 2024 Propositions 2018 (1)
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This article is part of a series about Sarah Palin
Early political career Political positions Electoral history Public image Saturday Night Live parodies Governorship (2006–2009) 2006 election Resignation 2008 vice presidential campaign (Main article) Selection Convention Election Going Rogue: An American Life Sarah Palin's Alaska
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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.

Democratic primary

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]}

Other Parties

Alaskan Independence Party

• Don Wright – bush pilot, 2002 gubernatorial nominee

Green Party

• David Massie

Libertarian Party

• Billy Toien – 2002 gubernatorial nominee

Independent

• 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.

Predictions

Polling

Results