So Many Begiches. So Little Time...

 The Begich Family is in some ways like the Kennedy Family... only Alaskan 

As we all know by now, the Kennedys of Massachusetts have a staid and steady Democratic branch – and a wild and wooly Republican one. Robert Kennedy Sr. (a Democrat) and Robert Kennedy Jr. (a Republican) are two very obviously different people, with very divergent ideas of politics.

It's kind of the same with Alaska's illustrious Begich Family. 

IT'S NOT EASY BEING BEGICH...

TOM BEGICH CAMPAIGN ASKS JOURNAL TO HELP KEEP THIS ALL STRAIGHT 

On January 30th, the Tom Begich for Alaska campaign wrote the following to the Journal: 

Hello,

I am writing with a brief request regarding coverage of 2026 statewide races in Alaska.

With multiple Begich family members involved in Alaska’s 2026 elections, we would request that you use first names when referring to Tom Begich and Nick Begich in your coverage.

Tom Begich and Nick Begich have opposing political views and records. Headlines using only their last names confuse the public and do misrepresent their positions.

Thank you for your time,

Alex

Alexander Velaise

Communications Director

Tom Begich For Alaska 

BEGICH FAMILY RUNDOWN 

Nick Begich Sr, the family patriarch, was a politician. Nick Sr. was a member of the Alaska State Senate from 1963-71. He was a member of the United States House of Representatives, and a Democrat. Nick Begich Sr. disappeared in a plane crash in October, 1972 and the plane was never found. He died when he was 40 years old.

Nick Begich Sr.'s wife, Pegge Begich, also a Democrat, was a member of the Democratic National Committee from Alaska, and ran for U.S. Representative from Alaska. 

Nick Begich Sr.'s son, Nick Jr., was a candidate for Alaska Governor in 1998. He is most well known for authoring "Angels Don't Play This HAARP", a wildly popular book about the HAARP project on the Tok Cutoff near Gakona Junction. The book claims that HAARP manipulates global weather, and controls minds.  

Another of Nick Begich Sr.'s sons, Mark Begich, is also a politician. He is a Democrat and was mayor of Anchorage from 2003 to 2009, and held the spot of U.S. Senator before Dan Sullivan got it. Mark Begich was Senator from 2009 to 2015.

Yet a third son of Nick & Pegge Begich (brother of Nick and Mark -- above) is Tom Begich, a Democrat who is a singer-songwriter. Tom Begich is currently running for governor in the 2026 election. Tom Begich is also a poet, writing a book called "Six Truths, Fifty Sonnets." 

Then there's Nick Begich III, who is a Republican and currently Alaska's House Representative (with Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski as his Senate counterparts.) He's the son of Nick Begich, Jr., the HAARP critic. 

 

Begich Middle School 

 The "Begich" Name On Public Buildings 

1. The Begich Towers

Almost everyone in Whittier lives under one roof in the Begich Towers, which were built by the Army, and renamed the Begich Towers after Nick Begich, Sr. died in the airplane crash.

2. Begich-Boggs Visitor Center

When the plane carrying Nick Begich vanished, another passenger was House Majority Leader Hale Boggs of Louisiana. At the entrance to the Whittier Tunnel, the Begich, Boggs Visitor Center, in Portage Valley in Chugach National Forest, honors Nick Sr.

3. Begich Middle School

This is a middle school in Anchorage.