Trump urges Alaskans to reelect Begich in video attacking Hill

President Donald Trump released a video Saturday asking Alaskans to send Rep. Nick Begich back to the U.S. House on Nov. 3. Trump credited the Republican with federal tax cuts and the Alaska LNG pipeline project, and he attacked independent challenger Bill Hill. The endorsement was published on Trump's Truth Social account.

Hill, a Dena'ina Athabascan commercial fisherman and former Bristol Bay Borough School District superintendent, is Begich's main opponent in the ranked-choice general election. Democrat Matt Schultz suspended his campaign July 17 and endorsed Hill, and the Alaska Democratic Party later endorsed Hill too. Democrat Eric Hafner and Libertarian Jim McDermott are also on the Nov. 3 ballot. Through June 30, Begich had raised about $5.3 million to Hill's $1.2 million.

"This November, I'm asking you to get out and vote to reelect a fantastic person, a friend of mine, a patriot, a fighter, a warrior named Nick Begich to the United States Congress," Trump said in the roughly three-minute video.

Trump pointed to what he called "no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, and no tax on Social Security," and said Begich stood with him on the gas pipeline. He called Hill "a radical left lunatic" and a socialist.

Hill has made fuel costs the center of his campaign. In a campaign post last month, he said he's running to lower fuel prices, and he accused Begich of backing tariffs and wars that drive up what rural Alaskans pay for fuel.

Alaska News previously covered the U.S. Chamber of Commerce endorsing Begich and the state AFL-CIO backing Hill.

The pipeline project Trump cited remains unsettled in state politics. A compromise bill on its tax structure passed the state Senate but failed in the House 19-19 on July 16, and the bill was permanently filed Sept. 30.