As Galvin leads money race, spokesman for Rep. Young says he wasn't trying to hurt challenger with

As Galvin leads money race, spokesman for Rep. Young says he wasn’t trying to hurt challenger with handshake


Neither candidate wants the battle for Alaska's U.S. House seat be about a single handshake. Yet as Rep. Don Young runs for re-election for the umpteenth time, the final moments of a recent debate led to the most buzzed about encounter of the campaign.

In a video of the Oct. 19 candidate forum in Anchorage, Galvin can be seen reaching to shake Young's hand. As they make contact, Galvin says "Please don't hurt my hand" and winces, telling Young he hurt her.

Asked about the exchange, Galvin called the handshake a "cheap bully tactic" on Friday but said she does not want to dwell on it. Young campaign spokesman Jerry Hood described Galvin's reaction in the video as "a bad acting job" and said Young intended no harm.

With the election 11 days away, the candidates are fighting for voters' attention amid the topsy-turvy governor's race. Meantime, Galvin's campaign says it has quietly raised the most money of Young's many challengers. Elected in 1973, Young has been in office the longest of all current House members.

Read more: https://www.adn.com/politics/2018/10/27/as-galvin-leads-money-race-spokesman-for-rep-young-says-he-wasnt-trying-to-hurt-challenger-with-handshake/