Don Young

Don Young, born in 1933, Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from Alaska (1973- ). Al Don Young was born in Meridian, California, and served in the U.S. Army from 1955 to 1957. He received a bachelor's degree from California State University at Chico in 1958 and then moved to Alaska. Young served on the Fort Yukon City Council from 1960 to 1964 and became the city's mayor in 1964. After four years as mayor of Fort Yukon, Young was elected to the Alaska state House, where he served from 1967 to 1971. In 1971 he was elected state senator and served a two-year term. In 1972 Young was the Republican nominee for Alaska's single U.S. House seat but lost to the incumbent Democrat, Nick Begich. After Begich was killed in a plane crash, Young won the special election held in March 1973 to fill the vacancy. A strong base of support in the remote regions of Alaska helped Young win his reelection bids, although sometimes by small margins.