The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has entered the Alaska state Senate race in support of GOP candidate Dan Sullivan. The ad, shown below, will begin airing tomorrow.
Anchorage Chamber President Andrew Halcro was “mad as hell” when he heard about the ad. When the U.S. Chamber recently told him in a conference call that it was thinking about getting involved, he implored them to stay away. The Anchorage Chamber is nonpartisan, and this puts it in an “untenable situation,” Halcro said. Besides, he’s “sick and tired” of third-party money coming into the state. Such ads “don’t add any value to the discourse, and suffocates any solution to the problems,” he said.
Halcro said that he spent all morning answering concerns from his group’s membership.
The Chamber is also involved in five other tight races across the country. It hasn’t yet filed with the FEC, so it’s unknown how big the ad buy in Alaska is. Sullivan’s brother, Frank Sullivan, is one of 128 Chamber-board members.
Contact Amanda Coyne at amandamcoyne@yahoo.com
It’s the the responsibility of the communicator to provide clarity.
Do you work for Begich? Stop being immature. I just like the debate and share ideas.
I was clearly referring to DNR Dan’s ads; not Google searches.
Do you get paid per pro-Dan response on blogs?
I do not like the National GOP interfering in Alaska’s primary election. I am a registered Republican, I know and think highly of two of the candidates competing for the opportunity to unseat Senator Mark Begich, but at this point in time prefer Lt. Governor Mead Treadwell. I resent the fact the National GOP, given its track record in the past several elections of selecting candidates, spending it funds in the primary. Alaskans are quite capable of selecting who will represent them. All you have to do is look at Senator Lisa Murkowski unprecedented write-in victory.
National GOP and Republican Pac’s I appreciate your interest and money coming into our state, but let us focus on the primary goal, unseating Senator Mark Begich. We Alaskans, are quite capable of selecting the best candidate to beat Senator Begich, and we are the only ones that will be voting in the election, so SPEND YOUR MONEY accordingly.
Thanks!
You just used an op ed piece as your evidence.
Cronyism is the issue. And why does L48 Dan say he fight of Alaska? He hasn’t been here long enough.
So Begich gets money from outside and so does L48 Dan. Your point is? Big whoop. L48 Dan is well, so lower 48. His ads reek of lower 48.
And as for “always fighting for Alaska”, spare me the war like talk. Show me some results, so I can joke about them. What did L48 Dan do while AG, win a lawsuit? One? Is L48 Dan getting advise from Condi, the war monger?
I get money from outside Alaska too. And it doesn’t come to me thru cronyism either. Unlike your hero L48 Dan.
Have a good life.
There’s no proof. Mark Fish is a Miller supporter who has recently started trolling this website. He’ll only sling mud at Sullivan and defend Miller.
Nice rebuttal without facts. I guess if you say it often enough it will be true.
http://www.alaskapublic.org/2013/12/13/without-medicaid-expansion-alaskas-poorest-get-nothing-from-health-law/
I would venture to say that there are low income veterans that would fall into this category, but I figure if you can be lazy about research so can I.
You’re not answering the question. Is outside money okay for Begich or not? Be consistent or lose credibility.
Your assertion that Veterans and low income families do not receive medical care because Alaska chose not to expand Medicaid, is false.
What proof do you have that his brother used his influence to get the US Chamber to place the political ads?
Yes it is a national. However he is supposed to represent Alaska. The fact that his brother in on the national chamber is a level of cronyism I see as nationally harmful.
Does begich have brothers on the board of those outside places? Oh the horror if so!
L48 Dan does cronyism on a national level… Humm… Couldn’t his cronyism at least be Alaksan first?
I say bull if L48 Dan “is always fighting for Alaska”, as he claims.
Having a brother use his influence in the Chamber to place 3 party ads,Is exactly the kind of cronyism we can expect from a senator Sullivan. Special deals for establishment elites will continue to be the norm in Washington if Alaskans are foolish enought o elect him.
So Alaskan values are to deny veterans and low income folks medical care that will alleviate the cost of a hospital having to eat those expenses and passing them on?
Those values?
http://www.sullivan2014.com/?page=issues
Here you go. Took me all of 20 seconds to find. Give me a couple of minutes and I can find stuff on all the candidates for you, or since you obviously have a computer, you could just google it yourself.
It seems to me that Mr. Halcro takes every opportunity to insert himself into political topics. If the concern from the President of the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce is that the organization stay out of politics and political candidates, and remain neutral in those areas, then why not simply give a statement saying, “the political views expressed by the US Chamber of Commerce are not necessarily those of the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce, the Board of Directors or the staff.” Also, you might want to stay away from moderating political debates, debating state Senators about oil taxes in a public forum, and as one person already stated, writing op ed pieces at the drop of a hat about every political topic that comes along. Someone called it hypocritical in another comment. I think I will start describing it as Halcrocritical.
halcr·o·crit·i·cal [halker-uh-krit-i-kuhl]
adjective
1.
of the nature of halcrocrisy, or pretense of having principles of political neutrality, that one does not actually possess: “The president of the chamber of commerce was quite halcrocritical when he conducted a phone interview concerning decrying an ad concerning political candidates, while writing an op ed piece about raising the state’s base student allocation and calling out politicians that are opposed to it.”
So far every one of DRN Dan’s ads points to ‘flaws’ in Begich positions, and bashes Obama, EPA. etc.
When is Dan (OH>DC>AK) going to say how he would change things, or come up with better ideas?
The politics of simply bashing your opponent without adding any substance or ideas is a losing strategy. As is thinking big chunks of Outside money and support will win Alaskan’s respect and votes.
It is for a position that has national implications. I would understand the argument against outside money if the race was for a state position, but seeing as it is not, your argument is silly and not grounded in reality. Also, are you opposed universally to outside money or just the money that comes in to support the Republican candidates? I ask because Begich has accepted quite a bit of outside money in support of his campaign.
http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.php?type=C&cid=N00029901&newMem=N&cycle=2014
The Anchorage Chamber supported the Medicaid expansion in ObamaCare but now it wants to be above national politics. This Alaska race for the US Senate seat is of national importance. Do we allow Begich to continue to support Obama policies or do we return to Alaskan values?
I agree with Halcro.
Outside groups muddy up the issues that need to be discussed and eventually worked on to reach a resolve.
All the ad does say L48 Dan is always fighting for Alaska. So exactly how many lawsuits did he file as AG and win? ( don’t answer that if you support L48 Dan )
Wait. I do recall one incident where L48 Dan fought for Alaska. Resigning from his AG post.
The fact that L48 Dan’s brother is a board member of the national chamber, speaks volumes to how much of a citizen of the lower 48 Dan Sullivan is. Alaskan? Not so much.
Yes sir, Andy Halcro and I are two pure isolationists. Andy miight be the head of the Anchorage Chamber and as such is suppose to encourage investment and broadening our economy. Listen closely, between us he’s not really doing that cause we’re isolationists, old Andy and me. Heck, who’d want those outside dollards comiing into town? Millions of outside dollars floating around the economy would just increase some folks’ disposable income. Gee, they’d probably be out eating some fancy dinners, spending at several different retail stoes and the like. Maybe someone would even buy a new car. We don’t want that increased eeconomic activity, not ole’ Andy and i. Nope.
Okay, what I’m writing is stupid. About as stupid as Halcro’s comments. Why the Chamber employs an anti-business cry baby is beyond me. Halcro is entitled to his opinion and I’ll be the first to say that he has a lot of good ideas and even more that are thought provoking. I’m glad the Chamber is engaging in support of pro-business candidates. I’m also pleased that outside money is being spent here. Keep it coming !!!!!!
What’s up with this guy Halcro ? He’s always acting like a spoiled little kid. I haven’t ever met him but bet that few ever invite him out for a beer. What is he a Begich guy ? Look, this oiis pretty simple math. The busiiness community wants a RRepublican US Senate. Alaska’s seat that is currently held by Begich is key. This isn’t about beiing partisan. It’s about being pro-business and getting away from the anti!usiness agenda being advanced by the Obama White House and Harry Reid. The same anti-business agenda that Begich supporrts 97% of the time. Seems like people who pay dues to a pro-busiiness org like the Chamber would like this. I suspect most do.
We are now suuffering Halcro hysterics. When will the Anchorage Chamber Board become relevant and put Andrew in hiis p. He uses the chamber board of directors like they are his personal tools. Hey Chamber members, have you figuured out how you are becoming less and less relevant under the current leadership.
Another thought. By coming out publicly in opposition to the pr-Sullivan ad, is Halcro taking a side himself and being hypocritical? It would seem to me that the best thing to do would be to keep your mouth shut about it. Halcro has never been good at that though. No, best thing for ol Andy to do is to come out publicly in opposition to his bod coming out publicly. Hmmm. This whole “don’t choose sides” nonsense is brought to you by the king of posting an op ed in the ADN in which he chooses a side and takes a political position on every major issue that has faced the Municipality since he took his current position. So Andy, tell me again how it is wring for Chambers of a Commerce to take a political position?
The national chamber of commerce has a political agenda? I’m shocked! Next will you be telling me that unions might want to see certain candidates elected to office?
Andrew Halcro is mad as hell that it wasn’t his idea and it doesn’t somehow support his personal agenda of running for office. He should just quit, announce his intent to run and stop hanging the Chamber members and board with his own selfish vision.
Andrew Halcro is non-partisan. In other news, Websters has changed the definition of non-partisan.
I’m sure the Anchorage “Let’s Expand Medicaid” Chamber of Commerce is completely non-partisan. I just find it hysterical that they’ve decided to complain about a business group sticking its nose where it isn’t wanted.