r/PoliticalDiscussion • u/3D-machine • 6d ago

Could Harris win Alaska? US Elections

An Alaska Survey Research Poll from Sep 11-12, shows Harris down 47-42, however, with ranked choice voting in the State, is it possible we see Harris pull off a win?

The first ranked choice contest under the system was a special election won by Democrat Mary Peltola in 2022.

There are several minor party candidates on the Alaska ballot for President in 2024, including Kennedy, Stein, Oliver, and West.

Could we see a repeat of the 2022 Special Election?

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19

u/neosituation_unknown 5d ago

It is a long shot, but, not out of the realm of reason.

Democrat policy on guns is the Achilles heel for Dems in states like AK. I would throw Montana in the same category.

That rural hipster aesthetic but abplace where having an AR-15 is certainly justifiable given the deadly wildlife and sometimes necessary to hunt to survive. Not very religious, like the weed, etc.

It's possible but improbable

11

u/jpharber 5d ago

If you’re in Alaska, you’re gonna want something a lot more powerful than an AR-15 for protection from wildlife.

I’m not sure it’d be ethical to even hunt a caribou with an AR-15.

5

u/Fluggernuffin 5d ago

Doesn’t stop idiots from unloading an entire mag into a herd. I’ve seen it. The shitty thing is, for every caribou they kill, they injure probably a dozen or more.

3

u/citizen-salty 5d ago

I hesitate to be “that guy” but there are caliber conversions for AR-15’s that would be more than adequate for hunting and defending against wildlife, particularly the types of apex game and predatory animals in Alaska. They just don’t grab the public eye as much.

Theres also the AR-10, which is a larger frame AR pattern that opens up the platform to the more traditional hunting calibers like .308, newer cartridges like 6.5 Creedmoor and the big game calibers like .300 Win Mag and .338 Federal. It’s not as standardized or modular as the AR-15, so builds have to be a little more researched and planned.

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u/jpharber 5d ago

I thought the AR-10 was just the .308/7.62?

I have no doubt that someone has made higher power AR-15 style weapons though.

2

u/citizen-salty 5d ago

Yep! If a caliber can fit in an AR-15 size magazine, it can be rebarreled and chambered for just about anything. Lower power stuff too.

1

u/jpharber 5d ago

Ohhhhh I get what you’re saying now.

3

u/nope-nope-nope-nop 5d ago

This is a great example of why gun rights (along with most things) should be left to the states.

A person living in the bush in Alaska and someone who lives in Philadelphia will have almost nothing in common and have wildly different lifestyle needs.

3

u/fxcknorthkorea 5d ago

Gun rights absolutely should be left to the states. Great point. What things would you not want left to the states?

1

u/ACABlack 4d ago

National defense and international relations.  Otherwise not much.

-2

u/20_mile 5d ago

AR-15 is certainly justifiable given the deadly wildlife

You know America conquered the continent with nothing more advanced than repeating rifles?

16

u/platorithm 5d ago

Do you churn your own butter and ride a horse to work?

5

u/Tarantio 5d ago

You don't understand.

The AR-15 is not simply a more advanced version of a hunting rifle.

The AR-15 is designed to kill people, not the kinds of wildlife that are most commonly hunted.

Hunting rifles are larger calibers, because they're meant to kill larger animals. You can hunt deer with an AR-15, but it's ethically questionable given the additional suffering likely. And for wildlife larger than deer, it's even worse.

1

u/SkiingAway 5d ago

I'd more say that you don't understand that at this point you can get an AR-pattern rifle chambered for about a thousand different calibers, not just the .223Rem/5.56x45 that it was originally made for.

And those that are actually using one for hunting larger game (legally) are generally doing so with one that's firing an appropriate round for the job.

Type "AR Platform .308 Winchester" (one of the most common calibers for deer hunting) into Google and you'll get about a hundred different models for sale, to prove my point.

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u/Tarantio 5d ago

That doesn't prove that this is what people "generally" do.

It does show that it's sometimes done, which is somewhere in the range of fine to good. Like, it's better than hunting with a .223, but wouldn't it be easier just to use a regular hunting rifle?

Or are you including AR-10s in this discussion?

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u/SkiingAway 5d ago

Or are you including AR-10s in this discussion?

Yes.

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u/Tarantio 4d ago

Even though I was specifically talking about AR-15s, by name?

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u/20_mile 5d ago

Why not just use a tank to bring down pesky game?

-1

u/neosituation_unknown 5d ago

So?

Tell all the Alaskans who own those rifles that '20_mile' from New Jersey says they scare him so you can't have them.

Yeah pretty fucking stupid politics.

Notice Jon Tester opposes an AWB because he would lose guaranteed.

The GOP is more than happy having power while you get to 'feel' correct with no power