Guaranteeing America fosters an entrepreneurial spirit was one of many causes Begich ran for workplace.
Alaska Rep. Nick Begich III, a Republican, started his congressional profession on Jan. 3. He represents Alaska’s solely congressional district, having defeated former Rep. Mary Peltola (D-Alaska) within the Nov. 5 election.
Whereas Begich has at all times been a Republican, his family who served in public workplace had been Democrats. Apparently, he didn’t know till center faculty that his grandfather was a member of Congress.
Begich’s grandfather, Nick Begich Sr., represented the district his grandson now represents between. He served from January 1971 till December 1972, then went lacking in a airplane crash and was presumed useless.
Begich’s uncle, Mark Begich, served within the U.S. Senate between 2009 and 2015 after holding a number of political places of work in Alaska. One other uncle, Tom Begich, was minority chief of the Alaska Senate between 2019 and 2023.
He mentioned his mom’s aspect of the household leans extra towards conventional Christian conservatism.
“I don’t know that I’m fairly the black sheep within the household,” he mentioned. “However I definitely see issues from a special perspective than many on my father’s aspect.”
Begich mentioned he believes in small authorities and that there was fiscal irresponsibility on the federal degree.
“Oftentimes we hear from the left that authorities spending is compassionate, that we have to do all these packages,” he mentioned. “However the reality of the matter is these packages find yourself hurting those who they declare to assist much more.”
Begich was born on Oct. 21, 1977, in Anchorage, Alaska, to Nicholas Joseph Begich Jr. and Starr Lyn Weed.
His mother and father divorced when he was younger, and he lived together with his mom in Florida, the place he attended center faculty and highschool.
Begich then attended Baylor College in Texas adopted by working in an investor relations function for a publicly-traded firm.
Training was key in his life because it led to him marrying his spouse, Dharna Vakharia.
Begich’s future father-in-law mentioned he couldn’t marry his daughter except he received a grasp’s diploma, which he did at Indiana College, with a focus in info applied sciences and choice sciences.
Vakharia’s household, in response to Begich, “could be very huge on training” as they’re first-generation People.
“They’ve a powerful perception, and I’ve the identical perception, that training is a vital gateway to success in life,” he mentioned. He mentioned his father-in-law “needed to be sure that anybody in his household was going to have those self same values.”
Begich labored at Ford Motor Firm in Michigan, however he and his spouse moved to Alaska in 2004 as a consequence of what he mentioned had been “a lot of entrepreneurial alternatives.”
Working exterior the general public sector, mentioned Begich, is a reminder that “the lion’s share of the worth that we’ve skilled in fashionable society was created not by authorities, however by private-sector innovation.”
In any case, mentioned Begich, authorities can each assist and harm private-sector innovation, “however it might’t create it.” Guaranteeing America fosters an entrepreneurial spirit was one of many causes Begich ran for workplace.
In 2022, Begich ran for Alaska’s congressional seat, however got here up quick in ranked-choice voting.
He mentioned that within the 2024 cycle, if there was a Republican that completed forward of him within the main, he would drop out.
“We had been in a position to consolidate assist previous to the final election, and I feel that was a big contributing issue to with the ability to flip this seat,” he mentioned.
Now in Congress, Begich sees similarities and variations between being a businessman and serving within the legislative department. The enterprise world and Congress are related in that individuals may give their enter. However the distinction is that within the former, the CEO finally calls the pictures, whereas within the latter, consensus is required.
Congressional Agenda
In Congress, Begich mentioned, his mission is about letting “folks know what Alaska can do for them and why it’s necessary for them.”
Whereas he acknowledged that constructing some identify recognition helps unfold the phrase about his house state, “that is about Alaska First.”
Begich’s congressional agenda contains seeking to rein within the federal price range and restoring provide chains surrounding vitality, important minerals, timber, and treasured metals.
Alaska having an abundance of pure assets, he mentioned, permits for the US to decouple from China and different adversaries.
One of many greatest debates in Congress at present is whether or not Republicans ought to do one or two reconciliation payments to go President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda. Reconciliation permits for payments associated to taxing, spending, and the nationwide debt to be handed with out being subjected to the 60-vote filibuster threshold within the Senate.
The GOP is seeking to go, by reconciliation, Trump’s vitality and border agenda, along with extending the 2017 Trump tax cuts because the revenue tax brackets beneath it are set to run out after this 12 months.
Trump has mentioned he prefers one huge reconciliation invoice however doesn’t thoughts if there are two so long as his agenda will get by Congress. Home Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has mentioned he desires one invoice, whereas Senate Majority Chief John Thune (R-S.D.) has referred to as for 2 payments.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) has laid the groundwork for a reconciliation invoice that would come with border safety, equivalent to funding the southern border wall, and improve protection spending.
Begich predicted there might be two payments.
“I feel we have to put as a lot within the first invoice as attainable,” he mentioned.
“I’m somebody who believes that we must be doing as a lot on the entrance finish as attainable in order that we are able to get these wins for the American folks early, after which when we’ve the second price range reconciliation window, let’s take that checklist of priorities that didn’t make the primary minimize and pursue these within the second window,” he continued.
What must be through which reconciliation invoice is to be decided, mentioned Begich, however in terms of Alaska, there must be income alternatives equivalent to opening up timber lease gross sales.
Alaska has already skilled outcomes since Trump took workplace because the president took government actions equivalent to re-opening the Arctic Nationwide Wildlife Refuge to grease drilling and naming Mt. Denali again to Mt. McKinley.
Lengthy Commute
Representing a state on the opposite aspect of the nation is not any simple process.
Whereas most members of Congress fly out and in of Washington every week Congress is in session, for Begich, it’s sophisticated.
Begich mentioned that it takes some 15 hours to get to Alaska from Washington.
“I typically must remind folks, Alaska is the one state that it’s important to fly by one other nation to get to,” he mentioned, referring to Canada.
“So it is extremely far, however I might be getting again as typically as I can,” he continued. “And even on the quick weekends, if there’s a motive that I have to be again in state, I’ll make that journey.”
Begich is aiming to go between Alaska and Washington each three to 4 weeks.
Son Following in Dad’s Footsteps?
Peltola in 2022 succeeded former Rep. Don Younger (R-Alaska), who for 49 years sat within the seat Begich occupies.
However Begich doesn’t count on to be serving for that lengthy. He didn’t say how lengthy he wish to be in Congress, however he emphasised the significance of “new concepts and contemporary views.”
“I feel it’s necessary for us to be sure that the members of Congress are reflective of the those who they symbolize,” he mentioned.
“We have to be sure that new concepts and contemporary views are in a position to enter the dialogue,” he added.
Begich may even run for Senate if Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), who has been within the higher chamber since 2002, decides to not run for re-election in 2028.
“That’s maybe a dialog that may be extra applicable as we get nearer to that point,” he mentioned. “Like several of these discussions, you bought to see what’s the dynamic, what’s the urge for food, who else is contemplating a run.
“We’ll see.”
Nonetheless, the Begich legacy may stay on.
Begich’s son turned 13 years outdated through the Home GOP points convention, which was Jan. 27 to 29, and he was in a position to meet Vice President JD Vance, who requested him if his identify is “Nick Jr.,” his father recalled.
“Effectively, I’m Nick the Fourth,” mentioned the youthful Begich.
“Are you the very best Nick?” requested Vance.
“I’m going to attempt to be,” mentioned Begich IV.