Alaska governor candidate names teacher as running mate

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - Democrat Les Gara says a teacher will be his running mate in his bid for Alaska governor.

Gara says Jessica Cook of Palmer will run for lieutenant governor as part of a ticket with him. Cook teaches at an Eagle River school. Cook says she and Gara care about Alaska’s kids and believe everyone deserves a chance to be successful.

Under an election system that will be used for the first time this year in Alaska, candidates for governor and lieutenant governor run as a team for the primary. The four tickets that win the most votes in the primary advance to the general election, in which ranked choice voting will be used.

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