Nick Begich III: Difference between revisions

Nick Begich
Born	(1977-10-21) October 21, 1977 (age 47) Anchorage, Alaska
Nationality	American
Occupation(s)	Business entrepreneur, investor
Known for	Candidate for Alaska’s congressional seat (2022 and 2024)

Nicholas J. Begich III (born on October 21, 1977, in Anchorage, Alaska) is the grandson of former U.S. Representative Nicholas Joseph Begich. Raised in Florida by his maternal grandparents, he returned to Alaska in 2004 with his wife, Dharna Begich. In 2024, he is a Republican candidate for Alaska's seat in the US House of Representatives.

Begich founded FarShore Partners, a software development company, in 2006, and Dashfire^[1] (previously FarShore Ventures) in 2009. Dashfire has been involved in the creation, advising, and launching of over 50 technology-supported businesses across the United States, with investments in Raken, EverTrue, Artifact Uprising, PackBack, BloomBoard, Bucketfeet, and Factor 75.

He was elected as one of the five Board Directors for the Matanuska Telecom Association (MTA), a major telecommunications cooperative, in 2017, 2019, and 2021.^[2] In 2017, he also began serving as the President for the Matanuska Telephone Association Foundation.^[3]

Begich served as a Co-Chair for Congressman Don Young’s 2020 campaign, alongside former North Star Borough Mayor Rhonda Boyles.^[4] He has a familial connection to politics, as his grandfather, Representative Nicholas Joseph Begich served as Alaska's sole member of Congress from 1971 until he went missing on a flight in 1972 and was never found.

In 2020, Begich was a co-chair for the OneAlaska campaign, opposing an oil tax increase ballot initiative.^[5] He also joined The Club for Growth Foundation's Inaugural Fellows Program.^[6] In 2018, he held the Republican National Committee (RNC) Alaska Party Chair Proxy Vote and served as president for the Alaska Policy Forum Board of Directors. He was also the Finance Committee co-chair for the Alaska Republican Party from 2016-2018.

In 2021, Begich filed to run for Alaska's congressional seat, challenging incumbent Don Young. When Rep. Young died suddenly in March of 2022, special primary and general elections were called to elect a successor to complete the remainder of his term. Begich filed as a candidate for the special elections; he ultimately placed third behind Democrat Mary Peltola and fellow Republican Sarah Palin. In the regular election in November of 2022, Begich again placed third, again behind Peltola and Palin.

Nick Begich is an advocate for the development of Alaska's energy resources, emphasizing sustainable fishing and revitalization of the timber industry. Begich supports the Second Amendment and constitutional originalism, and promotes educational reforms with a focus on local control and parental involvement. He seeks to reduce healthcare costs through increased competition and Medicaid reform, and highlighting Alaska's strategic role in national security.^[7]

In 2017, Begich was recognized in the National Federation of Croatian Americans “40 Under 40”.^[8]

Begich was named Outstanding Student in Entrepreneurship at the Hankamer School of Business in 1999. Baylor University has consistently ranked among American top universities for entrepreneurship studies.

Begich received an appointment to the United States Air Force Academy in 1995.

In 1997, he graduated from Baylor University with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration (BBA), majoring in Entrepreneurship. Begich later graduated from Indiana University Bloomington in 2002, receiving a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a double-concentration in Information Technology and Decision Support Modeling.

Begich resides in Chugiak, Alaska with his wife, Dharna Vakharia Begich, and their son, Nicholas J. Begich IV.

Nicholas J. Begich III is also a nephew of former Senator Mark Begich, Alaska State Senator Tom Begich, and Colonel Elmo Baker.