Fairbanks Mayor-elect Mindy O'Neall, Image via Screengrab / AlaskaNewsSource.

Newsweek reports Republican Fairbanks Mayor David Pruhs conceded to Democrat Mindy O'Neall Tuesday night after unofficial election night results showed O’Neall receiving 1,808 votes (54 percent) to Pruhs’ received 1,528 votes (45.7 percent).

“It was a perfect storm for her to take the seat, and she did that. So congratulations to Mindy O’Neall,” said Pruhs, who blamed low voter turnout among the reasons he lost.

Mayoral elections in Fairbanks are nonpartisan, and the ballot does not list party affiliations next to candidates’ names. However, Pruhs said O’Neall “had a very engaged Democratic Party statewide and local parties to help her.”

“When you have an entire state Democratic Party focused on one race, it's hard to rebuff that,” Pruhs said.

Newsweek reports Pruhs is a conservative who was openly backed by local Republicans, however. In 2019, as a member of Fairbanks City Council, Pruhs opposed a municipal equal-rights ordinance, claiming supporters were “full of s——.” Earlier this year, Tanana Chiefs Conference and Fairbanks Native Association released statements condemning Pruhs’ comments about Alaska Native people. Native Movement later released a similar announcement.

“If you deem that as racist, I do apologize,” Pruhs responded after the slamming.

About 15 to 20 percent of registered voters have typically taken part in city elections in recent years, but Newsweek claims an incumbent Republican hasn’t been unseated in almost a decade.

“My campaign was about building a Fairbanks where everyone is respected, where housing is affordable, where public safety is rooted in trust, and where our community is vibrant and resilient,” O’Neall said in a video posted on Facebook Tuesday night.

The election victory comes on the heels of Republicans losing two seats in the state House last year, flipping House control from Republicans to a mostly Democratic coalition.

Read the full Newsweek report at this link.