ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — U.S. Rep. Don Young, Alaska’s sole representative in the U.S. House since 1973, has won the Republican primary Tuesday as he attempts to win a 25th term.

On the Democratic side, Alyse Galvin, a nonpartisan candidate, gets her second shot at unseating Young after losing by 7 percentage points in 2018.

Both faced token opposition in the Alaska Primary, setting up a second matchup.

While some Republican incumbents are distancing themselves from President Donald Trump in the election, that’s not the case for Young.

Trump on Thursday tweeted his “complete and total endorsement” for Young, the longest serving Republican in the U.S. House. Trump said Young loves his state “and works tirelessly” for Alaska.

Young replied to Trump in his own tweet: “You’ve been a great partner for Alaska and our country. Keep up the good work!”

Young faced two little-known challengers in the Republican primary, T. “John” Nelson and Gerald Heikes, neither of whom reported raising any money.

Alan Smith of Anchorage didn’t request an absentee ballot and instead voted in person in Anchorage on Tuesday. He said he had no worries.

“No, I was wearing a mask, everyone was wearing a mask,” he said.

The polling place offered masks along with hand sanitizer and gloves. And social distancing wasn’t a problem. “Look at this space; it’s really not crowded,” he said.

He cast his ballot for Galvin. “She was the only one I recognized,” he said, adding that's likely because this was her second attempt at winning the seat.

Frederick Moore, who also wore a mask, also had no qualms about casting a vote in person at St. Innocent Russian Orthodox Church.

He cast his vote for Young. “He’s been doing a great job over the years,” Moore said.

Young, who is known for his off-the-cuff comments and sometimes abrasive demeanor, made headlines in March when he downplayed the seriousness of the coronavirus to an audience that included older Alaskans. Young himself is 87.

His campaign manager told a newspaper he believed Young was trying to urge calm. Young has posted pictures of himself wearing a mask on his social media feed. He was also pictured wearing a mask when he voted early in Anchorage on Thursday.

Galvin, a nonpartisan who was endorsed by the Democratic party, lost to Young in the 2018 general election. He won with 53% of the vote compared with her 46.5%.

In her primary Tuesday, Galvin defeated William “Bill” Hibler and Ray Sean Tugatuk, neither of whom reported raising any money.

Galvin, 55, an education advocate, has maintained an active social media presence and began campaigning for the race last year, hoping to build off the network she cultivated in her prior run.

From April through June, she significantly outraised Young and held an edge in available cash on hand.

In 2018, Galvin conducted a vibrant door-to-door campaign and used a large recreational vehicle painted with her name and logo in campaign colors to travel the state.

The RV was parked during the pandemic as Galvin campaigned in virtual town halls.

___

This story has been corrected to show Young defeated Galvin by 7 percentage points in 2018 and not 9.