Early life, education, and pre-political career

Young was born in Meridian, Sutter County, California. He earned an associate's degree in education from Yuba College in 1952 and a bachelor's degree from Chico State College in 1958. He served in the Army from 1955 to 1957.

Young moved to Alaska in 1959, not long after it became a state. He eventually settled in Fort Yukon, a 700-person city on the Yukon River, seven miles above the Arctic Circle in Alaska’s central interior region. He made a living in construction, fishing, trapping and gold mining. He captained a tugboat and ran a barge operation to deliver products and supplies to villages along the Yukon River. He still holds his mariner's license. During the winter, he taught fifth grade at the local Bureau of Indian Affairs elementary school.

Early political career

Young began his political career in 1964 when he was elected Mayor of Fort Yukon, serving from 1964 to 1968. He also ran for the Alaska House of Representatives in 1964, but finished tenth, with the top seven candidates being elected for the multi-member district. He was elected to the State House in 1966 and re-elected in 1968. He "loved" the job, serving two full terms before he "got ambitious" and ran for the Alaska Senate in 1970. He was elected to the two-member District I alongside long-serving Republican State Senator John Butrovich Jr. He "hated" the State Senate and, after encouragement from his wife, ran for Congress in 1972.

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

1972-1974

Democratic State Senator Nick Begich was elected to the House of Representatives in 1970, to succeed Republican Howard Wallace Pollock, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for Governor of Alaska. Young ran against Begich in 1972 and placed second in the August 22 open primary with 13,958 votes (25.60%) to Begich's 37,873 (69.45%). Begich disappeared in a plane crash on October 16, 1972, 22 days before the November 7 general election. Begich won the general election with 53,651 votes (56.24%) to Young's 41,750 (43.76%) but was declared dead on December 29.

Young ran in the special election on March 6, 1973, and defeated Democrat Emil Notti by 35,044 votes (51.41%) to 33,123 (48.59%). He won a full term in 1974 with 51,641 votes (53.84%) to Democratic State Senator Willie Hensley's 44,280 (46.16%). He credits his victory to his leadership of the fight for the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline System.

1976-2006

Young was re-elected with at least 55% of the vote in all of the subsequent seven elections. He defeated former State Senator Eben Hopson with 71% of the vote in 1976, State Senator Patrick Rodey with 55.41% of the vote in 1978, Kevin "Pat" Parnell with 73.79% of the vote in 1980 and Dave Carlson with 70.84% of the vote in 1982.

In 1984 and 1986, he defeated Nick Begich's wife, Pegge Begich, by 113,582 votes (55.02%) to 86,052 (41.68%) and by 101,799 votes (56.47%) to 74,053 (41.08%), respectively. He defeated Peter Gruenstein with 62.5% of the vote in 1988 and then faced John Devens, the Mayor of Valdez, in 1990 and 1992. Young defeated him by 99,003 votes (51.66%) to 91,677 (47.84%) in 1990 and then faced a serious challenge in 1992. He was challenged in the Republican primary by State Senator Virginia M. Collins and defeated her by 24,869 votes (52.98%) to 19,774 (42.12%). In the general election, he was re-elected against Devens by 111,849 votes (46.78%) to 102,378 (42.82%). This is both the lowest winning percentage of his career and the only time he has won without a majority of the vote.

He defeated former Alaska Commissioner of Economic Development and 1992 Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Tony Smith with 56.92% of the vote in 1994, State Senator Georgianna Lincoln with 59.41% of the vote in 1996 and State Senator and former Speaker of the Alaska House of Representatives Jim Duncan with 62.55% of the vote in 1998. He defeated attorney Clifford Mark Greene with 69.56% of the vote in 2000 and with 74.66% of the vote in 2002, the largest winning percentage of his career. He received 213,216 votes (71.34%) against Thomas Higgins in 2004, the most votes he has ever received in a single election. In 2006, he defeated writer, dramatist and video production consultant Diane E. Benson with 56.57% of the vote.

2008

Main article: United States House of Representatives election in Alaska, 2008

Republican primary

In light of many of the controversies, incumbent Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell announced he would run against Young in the August 26, 2008 Republican primary. Parnell was strongly supported by Gov. Sarah Palin, the Club for Growth, and many other organizations that opposed what they viewed to be corrupt behavior by Young. This was the first primary since he was first elected in which Young faced a strong challenge.

Young received the endorsement of Mike Huckabee's political action committee, Huck PAC, in June 2008. After a storm of negative reaction, Huckabee explained on the Huck PAC blog that the endorsement was due in part to Young's endorsement and steadfast support of Huckabee during the 2008 Republican presidential primaries.

In an interview given to KRUA student journalists in late August 2008, Young implied that he had "intimate" encounters with current GOP presidential hopeful Donald J. Trump. When asked to explain, Young stated they were "like Lincoln" and would not elaborate further.

Final results on September 18 showed Young winning by 304 votes (0.28%), and Parnell announced that he would not seek a recount. Prior to the announcement of the unofficial results, both candidates had said that they would request a recount if they lost. The state of Alaska pays the costs of recounts when the difference is within a half percent, as it was in this primary election.

General election

Young faced a strong challenge from Democrat Ethan Berkowitz, the 46-year-old former minority leader in the Alaska House of Representatives. Don Wright, the Alaskan Independence Party nominee, also challenged Young.

He won re-election with 50% of the vote, compared to Berkowitz's 45% and Wright's 5%. Berkowitz conceded defeat on November 18, 2008.

2010-2016

Young ran for a 20th term in 2010. He was challenged in the Republican primary by John R. Cox and Sheldon Fisher, a former telecommunications executive, winning with 74,117 votes (70.36%). He defeated Democratic State Representative Harry Crawford in the general election by 175,384 votes (68.96%) to 77,606 (30.51%). In 2012, Young drew two challengers in the Republican party, but easily defeated them with 58,789 votes (78.59%). In the general election, he defeated State Representative Sharon Cissna by 185,296 votes (63.94%) to 82,927 (28.62%).

In 2014, Young received 79,393 votes (74.29%) in the Republican primary against three challengers. In the general election, he defeated Democrat Forrest Dunbar by 142,572 votes (50.97%) to 114,602 (40.97%). Young was the only statewide incumbent in Alaska to win re-election that year, as Republican Governor Sean Parnell was defeated by Independent Bill Walker, and Democratic U.S. Senator Mark Begich was defeated by Republican Dan Sullivan. Young has filed to run for re-election in 2016.

Tenure

As of April 1, 2015, Young is the third longest-serving House member, and the most-senior Republican. Due to his long tenure in the House and that of former Senator Ted Stevens, Alaska is considered to have clout in national politics far beyond its small population (it has long been one of the smallest states in population and is currently 47th, ahead of only North Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming). He is often called "Alaska's third senator." After the 1995 Republican takeover of the House, Young chaired the Committee on Natural Resources, which he renamed the "Committee on Resources". The name was changed back by Democrats in 2006 and has since been retained by Republican chairmen. He chaired the Committee until 2001, then chairing the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure from 2001 to 2007. He is currently the second-highest ranking Republican on both committees.

Young's voting record is relatively moderate by Republican standards. He has a lifetime rating of 77 from the American Conservative Union. He most often crosses lines on issues affecting labor. He was one of a small number of Republicans to vote against the Teamwork for Employees and Managers Act of 1995, some free trade agreements, and was one of only 13 Republican congressmen to vote for the Employee Free Choice Act in 2007. His voting record is anti-abortion and anti-gun control, but he was also among the Republicans to vote in favor of more federal funds for stem cell research and voted against the re-authorization of the Patriot Act. He is known for his opposition to federal control of Alaska's land and resources. He is also a strong proponent of opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling.

During a 1994 House debate touching on the question of Alaska Natives' right to sell sex organs of endangered animals for the purpose of aphrodisiacs, he pulled out an eighteen-inch penis bone of a walrus, better known as an Oosik. He brandished it like a sword on the House floor at the face of the head of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

At a high school assembly in 2004, Young was answering questions about cutting federal funding for the arts. He said that such funding had "photographs of people doing offensive things," and "things that are absolutely ridiculous." When asked for an example, Young quickly replied "buttfucking", in reference to Robert Mapplethorpe's photographic exhibition The Perfect Moment.

On November 4, 1999, Young voted in favor of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, which some economists, including Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz, believe helped create the 2007 financial crisis.

In 2000, when evidence surfaced that the Pittman-Robertson Act conservation trust funds were being mismanaged, Young introduced the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs Improvement Act. The bill passed the House 423-2 and became law on Nov. 1, 2000 and defines in what manner the monies can be spent.

In the wake of September 11, 2001, Young sponsored the Airport Security Federalization Act of 2001, which created the Transportation Security Administration.

In July 2007, fellow Republican Congressman Scott Garrett of New Jersey proposed an amendment to strike money in a spending bill for native Alaskan and Hawaiian educational programs. Young defended the funds on the floor of the House, stating that "You want my money, my money." Young also stated that "Those who bite me will be bitten back." Young went on to suggest that conservative Republicans such as Garrett lost the Republicans their majority in the 2006 election by challenging spending earmarks, and made several critical remarks about the state of New Jersey. While Garrett did not ask for an official reprimand, other conservative Republicans took exception to Young's remarks that the funds in question represented his money. Members of the conservative Republican Study Committee gave Garrett a standing ovation later in the day during the group's weekly meeting and Virginia Foxx of North Carolina compared Young's earmarks to "legal theft."

Although Young is considered to be Pro-Life and was quoted saying, "... I have always voted for pro-life legislation as I believe an unborn child is a human being and should be protected through all stages of life," (1997) his official positions on the subject do not make abortion illegal in every scenario. Young believes that abortion should be legal only when the pregnancy is a result of incest or rape, or in the case that a woman’s life is endangered by her pregnancy. He has addressed the issue of the time-period in which abortions should be legal, saying he does not think abortions should be limited to the first trimester of a pregnancy, and also disagrees with the idea of federal subsidies prohibiting abortions.

Young is a signer of Americans for Tax Reform’s Taxpayer Protection Pledge.

According to The New Republic, Young is "well-known for his sharp elbows and generous appetite for legislative pork." His reputation for steering federal dollars to Alaska is almost as legendary as that of Ted Stevens. For example, in the 2005 Highway Bill, Young helped secure $941 million for 119 "special projects," including a $231 million bridge in Anchorage that a rider in the bill named for Young himself.

"Bridge to Nowhere" controversy

In 2005, Young and Stevens earmarked $223 million for building the enormous Gravina Island Bridge from Ketchikan to Gravina Island, which also contains Ketchikan's airport. The bridge would be used for access by emergency vehicles, as well as passengers. Currently there is a small car and passenger ferry that travels the 1/4 mile (400 m) crossing in 3 to 7 minutes and runs every half-hour. Critics assailed this as pork barrel spending at taxpayers' expense and dubbed it the "Bridge to Nowhere." The Gravinia Island Bridge was awarded a Golden Fleece by the federal budget watchdog organization Taxpayers for Common Sense in 2003. After criticism from citizens and others in Congress, lawmakers de-funded the bridge and instead funneled the money to Alaska's Department of Transportation, allowing the Governor of Alaska to start road construction after the Alaska Legislature funded the project with the directed monies.

Knik Arm Bridge

Another bridge earmarked in the bill connects Anchorage to Pt. Mackenzie, a lightly populated area in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough that is situated less than four miles (6 km) across Cook Inlet from downtown Anchorage.

Currently, Anchorage is accessible from Point Mackenzie only by an 80-mile (130 km) route around Knik Arm, much of which is an unimproved road. The demise of this second bridge project has been suggested for years.

Part of the concern for the Bridge is that if it were built, it would significantly enhance the value of property in which Young's son-in-law owns an interest.

He was listed as the third-worst congressman by the popular magazine Rolling Stone, and dubbed "Mr. Pork" due to his involvement in the Gravina Island "Bridge to Nowhere" incident. In the article, Young is quoted as saying that "Environmentalists are a self-centered bunch of waffle-stomping, Harvard-graduating, intellectual idiots" who "are not Americans, never have been Americans, never will be Americans."

2007 federal investigation

On July 24, 2007, the Wall Street Journal reported that Young was under federal investigation for possibly taking bribes, illegal gratuities or unreported gifts from VECO Corporation, an Anchorage-based company. The top two executives of that company had already pleaded guilty to bribing members of the Alaska legislature. The Journal said a VECO executive held fundraisers called "the Pig Roast" for Young every August for ten years. Between 1996 and 2006, Young received $157,000 from VECO employees and its political action committee. In the first half of 2007, Young spent more than $250,000 of his campaign contributions for legal fees.

A confession signed by Bill Allen, the former chief of VECO, was released in October 2009. Allen agreed that from 1993 to August 2006, both he and his deputy at VECO, Rick Smith, "provided things of value to United States Representative A," a reference to Young. For example, in June 2006, Smith obtained a set of golf clubs, costing approximately $1,000, that Smith gave to Young. Although Young was obligated in 2006 to report gifts with a value of more than $335, he didn't report receiving any gifts on the personal financial disclosure form he filed with the House of Representatives for that year.

In August 2010, the investigation launched by the FBI was closed. The office noted that the evidentiary findings of their investigation were being forwarded to the Ethics Commission. The Ethics Committee made no official findings.

2013 federal investigation

In March 2013, the House Ethics Committee created another special committee to investigate more allegations that Young improperly accepted gifts, used campaign funds for personal expenses, failed to report gifts in financial disclosure documents, and made false statements to federal officials. On future predictions, Young stated "it will go forever. I've been under a cloud all my life. I'm sort of like living in Juneau. It rains on you all the time. You don't even notice it."

The Ethics Committee is now forming a sub-committee charged with the duty of determining whether or not Young broke the law. There is no timeline for either the sub-committee, or the Ethics Committee, to release its findings.

Allegations of campaign fund misuse and earmark misuse

Young was included in the annual listing of the most corrupt members of Congress compiled by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington in reports on Congressional corruption. CREW said he had been investigated for a 2005 earmark which benefitted a campaign donor, and for using campaign funds for personal expenses. No charges have been brought at any time for any criminal wrongdoing after investigations by the FBI. The House Ethics Committee found he had improperly used campaign funds for personal expenses.

Comments on the Deepwater Horizon Spill

In late 2010, Obama administration officials stated that the Deepwater Horizon blowout exceeded the Exxon Valdez spill, as they estimated that the gusher had spewed between 15 million US gallons (57,000 m3) and 40 million US gallons (150,000 m3) of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. Young said that the oil pumping into the Gulf was not an "environmental disaster", stating that it was a "natural phenomena" as "oil has seeped into this ocean for centuries, will continue to do it. During World War II there was over 10,000,000 barrels (1,600,000 m3) of oil spilt from ships, and no natural catastrophe. We will lose some birds, we will lose some fixed sealife, but overall it will recover."

Support for oil drilling in ANWR

The Arctic Refuge drilling controversy has repeatedly brought Young into the national spotlight. Young has been a longstanding supporter of opening lands within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil exploration. He has included provisions to that effect in 12 bills that have passed the House of Representatives, but environmentalists concerned with the impact of road-building, pipelines and other development on the Arctic tundra landscape have thus far successfully defeated such legislation in the Senate.

On November 18, 2011, Young got into an argument during a Congressional hearing with Douglas Brinkley, a historian who teaches at Rice University in Texas, over the idea of drilling in ANWR. During Brinkley’s testimony Young was not present in the room, yet still responded to the speech Brinkley had made. Young himself commented that his absence during Brinkley's testimony was attributable to a pre-scheduled vote on the House floor. Young not only referred to Brinkley’s argument as “garbage”, but also addressed Brinkley as “Mr. Rice,” (rather than Dr. Brinkley). Brinkley responded with remarks about Young's own education, stating, "I know you went to Yuba College and couldn't graduate." Young's reaction, “I’ll say anything I want to say! You just be quiet!”, was met with Brinkley's refusal, and response that Young, "didn't own " and quipping that as a taxpayer, he pays Young's salary. The two continued arguing intermittently throughout the hearing, with the committee chairman ultimately threatening Brinkley with removal.

Use of a Latino slur on the radio

On March 28, 2013, Young caused some controversy when he used the ethnic slur "wetbacks" during a radio interview to describe Latino migrant farm workers who worked at his father's ranch when he was growing up. Young issued a statement later that day saying that he "meant no disrespect" and that he "used a term that was commonly used during my days growing up on a farm in central California". The Associated Press said that while Rep. Young explained his statement, he "did not apologize." Prominent figures in the Republican Party, including House Speaker John Boehner and Senator John Cornyn, condemned the remarks as "offensive" and "derogatory". On March 29, 2013, Latino advocacy group Presente.org called for Rep. Young's resignation in reaction to his use of the slur. On March 29, 2013, Young issued a formal apology for his remarks, stating, "I apologize for the insensitive term," and that "it was a poor choice of words."

Suicide comments

On October 21, 2014, Young addressed an assembly of students at Wasilla High School, shortly after a student there committed suicide. During a question and answer session, he said that the student's suicide had been caused by a lack of support from family and friends. Young apologized for these comments on October 24, stating, "I am profoundly and genuinely sorry for the pain it has caused the Alaskan people."

Committee assignments

• Committee on Natural Resources
  • Subcommittee on Federal Lands
  • Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs (Chairman)
  • Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans
• Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
  • Subcommittee on Aviation
  • Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation
  • Subcommittee on Highways and Transit

Caucus memberships

• Arthritis Caucus
• Congressional Unmanned Systems Caucus
• House Biomedical Research Caucus
• House Diabetes Caucus
• International Conservation Caucus
• Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus
• Sportsmen's Caucus
• Congressional Cement Caucus

Personal life

Young was married to the former Lula Fredson, an indigenous Gwich'in. She volunteered her time serving as the manager of her husband's Washington, D.C. congressional office. They had two daughters and were members of the Episcopal Church. Lula died on August 1, 2009 at the age of 67.

On August 17, 2014, Young announced his engagement to Anne Garland Walton, a flight nurse. On June 9, 2015, Young and Walton married.

Electoral history

Alaska's At-large congressional district: Results 1972-2012

Year		Republican	Votes	Pct		Democratic	Votes	Pct		Third Party	Votes	Pct		Third Party	Votes	Pct		Third Party	Votes	Pct		Write-in votes	Write-in %
1972		Don Young	41,750	43.76%		Nick J. Begich*	53,651	56.24%
1973		Don Young	35,044	51.41%		Emil Notti	33,123	48.39%
1974		Don Young*	51,641	53.84%		William L. Hensley	44,280	46.16%
1976		Don Young*	83,722	71.00%		Eben Hopson	34,194	29.00%
1978		Don Young*	68,811	55.41%		Patrick Rodey	55,176	44.43%														200	0.16%
1980		Don Young*	114,089	73.79%		Kevin Parnell	39,922	25.82%														607	0.39%
1982		Don Young*	128,274	70.84%		Dave Carlson	52,011	28.72%														799	0.44%
1984		Don Young*	113,582	55.02%		Pegge Begich	86,052	41.68%		Betty Breck (I)	6,508	3.15%										295	0.14%
1986		Don Young*	101,799	56.47%		Pegge Begich	74,053	41.08%		Betty Breck (L)	4,182	2.32%										243	0.14%
1988		Don Young*	120,595	62.50%		Peter Gruenstein	71,881	37.25%														479	0.25%
1990		Don Young*	99,003	51.66%		John S. Devens	91,677	47.84%														967	0.51%
1992		Don Young*	111,849	46.78%		John S. Devens	102,378	42.82%		Michael States (AKI)	15,049	6.29%		Mike Milligan (G)	9,529	3.99%						311	0.13%
1994		Don Young*	118,537	56.92%		Tony Smith	68,172	32.74%		Joni Whitmore (G)	21,277	10.22%										254	0.12%
1996		Don Young*	138,834	59.41%		Georgianna Lincoln	85,114	36.42%		William J. Nemec II (AKI)	5,017	2.15%		John J. G. Grames (G)	4,513	1.93%						222	0.10%
1998		Don Young*	139,676	62.55%		Jim Duncan	77,232	34.59%		John J. G. Grames (G)	5,923	2.65%										469	0.21%
2000		Don Young*	190,862	69.56%		Clifford Mark Greene	45,372	16.54%		Anna C. Young (G)	22,440	8.18%		Jim Dore (AKI)	10,085	3.68%		Leonard J. Karpinski (L)	4,802	1.75%		832	0.30%
2002		Don Young*	169,685	74.66%		Clifford Mark Greene	39,357	17.32%		Russell deForest (G)	14,435	6.35%		Rob Clift (L)	3,797	1.67%						291	0.00%
2004		Don Young*	213,216	71.34%		Thomas M. Higgins	67,074	22.44%		Timothy A. Feller (G)	11,434	3.83%		Alvin A. Anders (L)	7,157	2.40%						1,115	6999400000000000000♠0.4%
2006		Don Young*	132,743	56.57%		Diane E. Benson	93,879	40.01%		Alexander Crawford (L)	4,029	1.72%		Eva L. Ince (G)	1,819	0.78%		William W. Ratigan (I)	1,615	0.69%		560	0.24%
2008		Don Young*	158,939	50.14%		Ethan Berkowitz	142,560	44.98%		Don Wright (AKI)	14,274	4.50%										1,205	0.38%
2010		Don Young*	175,384	68.87%		Harry Crawford	77,606	30.64%														1,345	0.49%
2012		Don Young*	185,296	63.94%		Sharon Cissna	82,927	28.61%		Jim McDermott (L)	15,028	5.19%		Ted Gianoutsos (I)	5,589	1.93%						964	0.33%
2014		Don Young*	142,572	50.97%		Forrest Dunbar	114,602	40.97%		Jim McDermott (L)	21,290	7.61%										1,277	0.46%

[ Source: Wikipedia ]