Am I misunderstanding this? If you are allowed to put a second choice in case your first does not win, does that mean that Rs put the D as a second choice in a large enough number to give it the win? Is that correct?

From CNN

Those who ranked the third- or fourth-place candidate first would have their votes assigned to the highest-ranked remaining candidate on their ballots. For example: A voter who ranked the third-place finisher first, the fourth-place candidate second, the first-place candidate third and the second-place candidate fourth would, in this round, have their vote assigned to the first-place candidate.

But the second-place votes of those who backed Begich will be determinative.

So who believes this now? Will be interesting and telling to see if Palin rolls over and takes it if that is the case.