Author Archives: Amanda

Loose Lips: Dunbar could have been a star, Treadwell revels, Karly Meyer joins Parnell

Democrat Forrest Dunbar, who’s running against U.S. Rep. Don Young, might just be the only Alaskan in history to turn down a shot at reality TV stardom. Word is that Esquire TV reached out to him to film his run against Young. Dunbar is an interesting character, and would no doubt do good TV. He’s been in the Peace Corps, has a Yale Law degree, and a master’s from Harvard Kennedy School. He’s also a first lieutenant in the Alaska National Guard, and has the haircut and the arms to prove it. But part of the attraction had to be Young, whose props on the House floor involve a calcified walrus penis, and a wolverine trap. Both are custom-made for Esquire bro-culture.
Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell is positively reveling in the recent poll numbers that show him within spitting distance of Dan Sullivan, the so-called frontrunner in the GOP U.S. Senate race. “The massive out of state contributions flowing into Dan Sullivan’s campaign have failed to buy the lead in this race – bad news for his inside-the-Beltway backers,” Treadwell wrote in a fundraising email. Treadwell had no fewer than 15 fundraisers last year across the country, trying to shake money from those same backers, to little success.
On Sunday afternoon in Fairbanks, proponents of the Repeal SB 21 campaign had a rally and BBQ. There was a good turn-out of normal Fairbanksians, whatever that means, and Democratic legislators, both former and current. Among them: Rep. Scott Kawasaki, Sen. Hollis French, and former legislators Joe Thomas, John Davies and Joe Paskvan. Also attending and speaking at the event was UAF’s Mark Myers, who was also the former director of the USGS and Alaska DNR Oil and Gas Division.
As most Democratic contributors have heard by now, the Mallott for Governor campaign suffered a data breech due to a stolen lap top. According to campaign insiders, credit card contributors have all been notified and it was suggested that for security reasons, they may want to get a new credit card to replace the one they gave with. The problem appears to be behind them and all operations, as it were, are back to normal.
Word is that APOC and Rep. Chris Tuck, a.k.a. “the most eligible bachelor in Alaska,” have reached a settlement for improper campaign reporting and that the commission will likely approve at their board meeting on either June 4 or 5.
DOT Special Assistant Tyson Gallagher has resigned his position with the state and will be joining the Parnell campaign. Also, recent college grad Karly Meyer, daughter of Sen. Kevin Meyer, has signed on with the Parnell campaign as their events coordinator.

Events:

June 5th, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Fundraiser for Reps Gabrielle LeDoux and Mia Costello at Le Mex off Diamond Blvd., Anchorage.
June 8, 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 pm. Fundraising brunch for Senator Mark Begich at the home of Greg and Jeannette Wakefield, 630 Oceanview Drive, Anchorage. RSVP 907. 258. 2583.
June 8, 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. Fundraiser for Democratic lieutenant governor candidate Bob Williams at the home of Peggy and Boyd Berg, 856 S. Begich Drive, Wasilla
June 16, 6:00 a.m. — 5:00 p.m. Go Halibut Fishing in Resurrection Bay aboard Saltwater Safari Charters with GOP Senate candidate Dan Sullivan. Cost: $2,000 per person. Space is limited. RSVP 677-2014.

If we’re going to have another lobbyist in the state, it might as well be Laurie Herman, who, full disclosure, I consider a friend. Herman will be retiring later this summer from Providence. With somewhere north of a quarter of century and south of a half century of working around government, you can bet she has friends in powerful places and knows her way around the halls of government.
This weekend is Colony Days in Palmer. The parade, which is a big deal in Palmer, is on Saturday. The Bill Walker for Governor campaign is soliciting volunteers on Facebook to join them in that parade and encouraging them to bring their hard hats and safety vests. His theme: “Walker is the governor who will stop studying and start building.”
Will many Dems other than Democratic gubernatorial contender Byron Mallott be marching in the Colony Days parade on Saturday? Probably not many. The party has scheduled candidate training school that day.
The awesomely named Otto Feather has joined the Sullivan for Senate committee as the campaign’s coalitions director. He also travels with the candidate frequently. He is a retired Air Force colonel and ~~F-18~~ C-130 pilot.

Contact Amanda Coyne at amandamcoyne@yahoo.com

UPDATED: This piece has been updated to include Byron Mallott’s participation in the Colony Days parade.

A baker’s dozen interesting and competitive state House races

As I wrote in an earlier article about the four Senate races to watch, the deadline to file for office in Alaska was on Monday, meaning that the field is set. All told, 14 Senate seats are up for election, as are all 40 House seats. Below are what I consider to be 13 of the most interesting and competitive of those House races.

House District 1 – This seat is currently occupied by Democratic Rep. Scott Kawaski. There are two Republican challengers: Greg Bringhurst and Jomo Stewart. I’m hearing that Jomo Stewart, who has been around for a while, is likely to have a slight edge in the Republican primary. Assuming Stewart wins the primary, this race could get interesting really fast. The district has changed significantly after redistricting. Kawasaki, who was first elected in 2006, is a relentless door-to-door campaigner and is known for constituent work. Likewise, Stewart will bring a lot of energy and personality to the race. And both dress well. At this early stage of the campaign, my money is on Kawasaki.
House District 3 – Redistricting has thrown incumbent Republican Reps. Doug Isaacson and Tammie Wilson into the same district. The two candidates are very different from one another, and those differences in this North Pole-based district are likely to be the deciding factors. Isaacson, for the most part, seems to generally believe that his role as a government official is to make lives better. Wilson, on the other hand, seems more interested in protecting people from the government by keeping it out of people’s lives. Both candidates are hard-working and good campaigners. This will be a hard fought and close race. However, at this juncture, I would give Wilson a slight lead. The winner of the Republican primary will face Sharron Hunter. Given the district’s ruby-red hue, it’ll most certainly stay Republican.
House District 6 – This open seat created by redistricting will see a Republican primary race between former Denali Borough mayor Dave Talerico and Tom Dunning of Tok. The winner will face Democrat and Slana resident Wilson Justin in the general. Everything that I’ve heard to date is that Talerico is the guy to beat.
House District 7 – The beating you hear in this district is the heart of Wasilla. Sarah Palin country. Where the bars stay open until 5 a.m. and where you can mosey up to a barstool and lay your gun on the bar. No one filed to challenge Republican freshman legislator Rep. Lynn Gattis in this Republican-leaning district in the primary. However, Wasilla mayor Verne Rupright has registered to run for this House seat against Gattis in the general election. Rupright is known for pulling out all the stops to win a race. Still, I think that Gattis has the edge assuming she works hard and runs a decent campaign.
House District 12 – This is the House seat that is being vacated because of Bill Stoltze’s bid for the Senate. Two Republicans have filed: Mat-Su Borough Assemblyman Ron Arvin and Cathy Tilton, a former legislative aide to Rep. Neuman. Both candidates have their strengths and supporters. Tilton is rumored to have the ability and willingness to self-fund if necessary, and she’s got great shoes. Arvin’s got the good old business boys, whatever that means. (He might have great footwear too, for all I know). The Republican winner will face Democrat Gretchen Wehmhoff who is Stoltze’s sister-in-law. You can expect this seat, minus some intervention from the Democratic Gods, to stay in Republican hands.
House District 15 – This race is all general election. The seat is held by Republican Rep. Gabrielle LeDoux who is known as an uber fund raiser and campaigner. She is being challenged for the seat by Laurie Hummel, a retired Army colonel and West Point instructor. Her ex-husband, Eric Feige, is a member of the Legislature, a strange pairing if there ever was one. This East Anchorage district is known for its high turnover of residents. LeDoux knows the district, the ethnic groups and has canvassed the district multiple times. Hummel, a newcomer to politics, is touted as a serious and good candidate by some Democratic leaders. One thing that could help Hummel is the Democratic door-to-door ground game supporting Senator Begich’s campaign. Overall, this race continues to look good for Rep. LeDoux for the time being.
House District 19 – This seat is currently held by freshman Democratic Rep. Geran Tarr. The only challenge she faces is from Libertarian Cean Stevens in the general election. Two years ago, Stevens, who ran as a Republican, lost to Tarr by 20 points. The district covers Airport Heights and parts of Mountain View and is Democratic leaning. In fact, the best thing for Stevens would be if people confuse Libertarian with liberal. Tarr clearly has the edge but there is something interesting and compelling about Stevens, who is a former model and who has a chainsaw and isn’t afraid to use it. To cut up trees. I’ve seen it with my own eyes.
House District 21 – This Turnagain House district seat in Anchorage is currently held by Rep. Lindsey Holmes who has announced that she will not be seeking re-election. Two Republicans and one Democrat have filed for the seat. The Republicans running are Anand Dubay and Matt Fagnani. Dubay ran unsuccessfully for the seat in 2012. His background is in information technology and he is a conservative. This is Matt Fagnani’s first bid for elected office. He was recruited to run by the Republican Party establishment. The Democrat in the race is Matt Claman, who served in the Anchorage Assembly and as Acting Mayor of Anchorage when Begich was elected to the U.S. Senate. This race is way too early to call, however, Dubay signs are starting to sprout up throughout the district. Another plus for Dubay is that he has developed some proprietary software that allows him and his campaign workers to go door-to-door in the district and capture voter preferences in real time and directly communicate with them. Fagnani’s wife is the owner of MSI (Marketing Solutions, Inc) which is one of the city’s leading advertising firms with political experience. In other words, you can expect both campaigns to be good. I would rank the Republican primary as a toss-up for now, giving the slightest edge to Dubay because of his earlier entry into the race. The general election in this district, in my eyes, is a toss-up leaning towards Claman for now.
House District 22 – This is the seat currently occupied by Rep. Mia Costello. There’s one Democrat, Marty McGee, in the race and three Republicans: David Ness, Sherri Jackson and Liz Vazquez. Who’s going to win? I don’t know much about the other candidates, but I do know that Vazquez works hard, is smart, has a Segway and isn’t afraid to use it.
House District 28 – Republican Rep. Mike Hawker has represented this district since first being elected in 2002. One of the keys to his success has been that he always takes his opposition seriously. This year, he’ll be running against Democrat Sam Combs, a local architect. While Combs has never held elected office, he has been involved in a number of community organizations such as the World Affairs Council, NFIB, and several professional boards and organizations for architects. Many think that he’ll focus his campaign on the controversy surrounding the Anchorage Legislative Office lease. As an architect, Combs could speak with some authority on the subject. At this juncture of the campaign season, I would say that the district is leaning heavily towards Hawker.
House District 32 – Four candidates have filed for the seat being vacated by Rep. Alan Austerman. Three of them are Kodiak Republicans: Carol Austerman, daughter of Rep. Austerman; Louise Stutes; and Rich Walker. The winner of the Republican primary will face Democrat Jerry McCune from Cordova in the general election. My crystal ball tells me nothing about this race yet.
House District 36 – This Ketchikan House seat is opening due to Rep. Peggy Wilson’s retirement. Three Republicans have filed for the seat: Chere Klein, Patti Mackey and Agnes Moran. The winner of the Republican primary will face Dan Ortiz who is not affiliated with any party. Word is that Patti Mackey, who is heavily involved in the tourism industry, may have a leg up on the race at this time.
House District 40 – North Slope Rep. Ben Nageak will face Kotzebue’s Dean Westlake in the August 19th primary. The only thing for certain is that District 40’s representative will be a Democrat. I would give incumbent Rep. Nageak a slight advantage for now.

Contact Amanda Coyne at amandamcoyne@yahoo.com

New poll shows GOP Senate candidates Treadwell and Sullivan neck and neck

Anchorage-based Dittman Research released a poll today that shows that GOP Senate candidates Dan Sullivan and Lieutenant Gov. Mead Treadwell running neck and neck. The poll, paid for by Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan, surveyed 500 likely GOP primary voters May 27 – 29. It showed Mead Treadwell with 35 percent of the vote, Dan Sullivan with 37 percent, and Joe Miller with 12 percent. The margin of error is 4.4 percent.

The poll also showed Treadwell with a 74 percent favorable approval rating, Sullivan with a 62 percent, and Miller with a 35 percent favorable rating. Because Independents and nonpartisans are allowed to vote in the Republican primary, Dittman’s sample included 60 percent registered Republicans, Matt Larkin, who owns Dittman, said.

Larkin said that he wasn’t authorized to release the full poll, which also surveyed the lieutenant governor’s race.

Treadwell, naturally, appears happy with the numbers. “Washington, DC power brokers may have made a decision on who the GOP candidate should be, but Alaskans didn’t get the memo,” Treadwell said in a statement. He was referring to Sullivan, who has by far raised the most money in the race and has been considered the frontrunner.

Sullivan’s spokesperson said that it was hard to respond without seeing the full poll. However, he said “one thing is clear, Dan Sullivan is the only candidate that Mark Begich is afraid to take on in the fall.” He said that’s why Begich and those who support him are attacking Sullivan

A poll conducted by Portland-based Moore Research showed that at the end of April, Sullivan had a 16 percent lead over Mead Treadwell and a 26 percentage point lead over Joe Miller with 38 percent of primary voters still undecided.

Moore, like Dittman, is long-associated with Republicans and has a long history for polling for Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Rep. Don Young. Both firms also polled for the late Sen. Ted Stevens.

Only one thing is for sure: There will be lots of conflicting poll numbers in the coming months.

Contact Amanda Coyne at amandamcoyne@yahoo.com

Four state Senate races worth watching

Monday was the final day for candidates to register in Alaska to run in both federal and state races. The U.S. Senate race has gotten the lion’s share of attention so far in the election. But for us Alaskans who live here, send our children to schools here, fish in our waters, buy our birth control here and collect our Permanent Fund Dividends, the state Legislature is as, if not more, important than the U.S. Senate race. (Click here for the chart of all races compiled by legislative staffer Chris Clark.)

In the Alaska state Senate race, 14 seats are up for election. Three of those– Sens. Berta Gardner, Lyman Hoffman and Donnie Olson—Democrats all, are going unchallenged. Some of the primary and general races will be more competitive than others. And although there are sometimes surprises, for now the four Senate races below appear to be the most interesting and/or competitive.

Clare Ross (D) v Mia Costello (R) – Most thought that this West Anchorage seat being vacated by Hollis French was Rep. Mia Costello’s for the taking, even though it does skew Democratic and was one of the few districts in the state where Obama did well in 2012. However, that changed when Clare Ross dropped out of the House race and decided to run for the Senate. It also probably doesn’t help that Costello got involved in the whole minimum wage imbroglio during the last few weeks of session, and in doing so, incurred the wrath of the unions. She also got sideways with many of the advocates for the increase in school funding. Add that to Ross’s aggressive grassroots efforts—she’s relentlessly door knocking– and you’ve got a race on your hands. As of the last APOC reporting period in February, Ross had raised $31, 000 and had $20,000 cash on hand, much of which has come from small donors. Mia Costello runs strong on her side of the Senate district and has raised $68,000 with $50,000.00 cash on hand, according to her last filed APOC report. This general election race is a tossup for now, with slight edge to Costello.
Bill Stoltze (R) v DeLena Johnson (R) – This is a new Senate seat created by redistricting that spans from Chugiak to Palmer. DeLena Johnson, who is the mayor of Palmer, was an early entrant to the race and in some ways a protégé of Rep. Bill Stoltze, who has also filed for the seat. Stoltze is the odds on favorite here. He’s got the support of the majority of the Valley delegation, and has big support in the Chugiak side of the district. That said, Johnson is no slouch, and she’s hired Marc Hellenthal who intends to make it a race. For his part, Stoltze has Art Hackney, who won’t take anything for granted. This will be a fun primary to watch. The Republican victor in the primary will take on Democratic educator Patricia Chesbro in the general. This seat is likely to remain Republican.
Click Bishop (R) v (R) Mike Miller – Incumbent Fairbanks Sen. Click Bishop defeated Republican National Committeeman Ralph Seekins in what many saw as a huge upset. Bishop is a former union leader and ~~Parnell~~ Palin commissioner of the Department of Labor. Union support is largely credited for Bishop’s win. He still has that support. Further, because of redistricting, this Senate district is very different today and includes parts of Fairbanks and some Bush villages. It’s even better for Bishop, who has worked extensively throughout the Bush over the years and is married to an Alaska Native. That said, we’re talking Republican primary here. And Bishop’s challenger, Mike Miller is a Republican darling. He is a former state senator and GOP lieutenant governor nominee. Miller is part of the well-known North Pole family that owns and operates Santa Claus House, a gift shop “Where every day is Christmas.” His brother, Terry, served in the state legislature, was the senate president and served as Gov. Jay Hammond’s lieutenant governor. The Legislative Affairs Agency building behind the state Capitol building bears his name. Miller, unlike Bishop, will have the establishment and the pro-lifers on his side. Too, Bishop will likely take a beating for his opposition to school choice. Then again, Click has that made-for-campaign-slogan name. Whoever wins the primary will face Democrat Dorothy Shockley in the general. Shockley ran as an independent candidate for House in 2012. It’s likely that this seat will remain Republican.
Cathy Giessel (R) v Harry Crawford (D ) – This Senate district, encompassing parts of East Anchorage, the Hillside and Girdwood, is one of the most diverse in the state. These communities are as different as the two candidates themselves. The incumbent, Cathy Giessel, is considered ultra-conservative and is known to be extremely friendly to oil companies and to business. This, sometimes at the expense of the people. Her Democratic challenger, Harry Crawford, is a former legislator. He’s a former ironworker from Louisiana and still carries that state’s accent and some of its friendly, laid-back style. He’s big on unions, and not so much big on the oil industry. Crawford currently sits on the board of directors of Chugach Electric. Both candidates in this race are known to be hard workers and committed campaigners. Many look at Crawford as being somewhat a legend for defeating former Speaker of the House Ramona Barnes, most familiarly called, “Rambona.” To a large degree, Crawford’s chances of success will depend on how much the unions have his back. At this point, I’d give Giessel a slight edge in winning this race. However, don’t write Crawford off.

Contact Amanda Coyne at amandamcoyne@yahoo.com

Pro-Begich super-PAC goes after GOP Senate candidate Sullivan again on HB 77

Here’s another attack ad from the pro-Mark Begich super-PAC, Put Alaska First, focusing on HB 77, which was one of the most controversial bills introduced in the state Legislature recently. The rap on it is that it proposed to give unprecedented powers to the DNR commissioner to issue permits. At the time of its drafting, Dan Sullivan was the DNR commissioner. The public came out in droves to testify against it and the bill died in the Senate. This is the second ad Put Alaska First has made featuring HB 77. The first featured a moose hunter. This one feautres the well known former Democratic lawmaker Sam Cotten.

Off to the races: First look at coming primary and general elections

races Monday, June 2, was the final day a candidate could file for election in either state or federal office in Alaska. I’ll be going through all the candidates, and doing some sort of analysis soon. For now, here’s a few interesting tidbits:

There are 11 candidates for U.S. Senate. Four of them are Republicans. Two are Democrats. Three are Libertarians, and two are registered as Alaska Independence Party candidates. Former Valley lawmaker Vic Kohring is one of them. Kohring was caught up in the corruption scandal mess. He spent some time in prison. He hitchhiked from Wasilla to Anchorage so that the feds could get him there. And he still has a small following in the Valley.
Six candidates are running for U.S. House of Representatives, the most viable of whom, so far, are incumbent Rep. Don Young, and Democratic challenger Forrest Dunbar. That, it should be noted, could change.
In Sen. Lyman Hoffman’s Senate district, centered in Bethel, both House candidates, as well as Hoffman himself, are unopposed. Rep. Bryce Edgmon, who is one of those House members, won his election in 2006 by a coin toss. The other is Bob Herron.
Of the 40 House members, seven are unopposed.
Two incumbent Democratic House members are being challenged in their own party. Anchorage Rep. Les Gara will be running in the primary against Robert Benton, who ran briefly as a Republican for that seat in 2012. North Slope Rep. Ben Nageak is being challenged by Kotzebue’s Dean Westlake.
In the Senate, 14 of the 20 seats are up, and three of them aren’t being challenged. Democratic Sens. Berta Gardner, Lyman Hoffman and Donnie Olson all get to breathe easy this time around.
On the Republican side, Valley Rep. Bill Stoltze, who is running for Senate, will be facing DeLena Johnson in the primary and Fairbanks Sen. Click Bishop will face Mike Miller, who is a former legislator and former GOP lieutenant governor nominee. He is also Terry Miller’s brother, who was a former Senate president and served as lieutenant governor with Gov. Jay Hammond.

Contact Amanda Coyne at amandamcoyne@yahoo.com

McGuire drops out of lt. gov race

Citing family pulls, Alaska state Sen. Lesil McGuire announced that she has dropped her bid to run for lieutenant governor in the GOP primary. McGuire will continue her job as senator, and will likely continue to be in a leadership position. Here’s her statement in full:

It is with a year’s worth of thought, contemplation and visiting with Alaskans across our great state that I’ve arrived at the decision it is more effective for me to remain as a policymaker and continue serving Alaskans in that capacity.

I’m particularly anxious to have all of my family together, after 14 years of service, and always putting them behind my public servancy. My husband, children and parents are the most important part of my life. Today, I put them first.

My eight year old son Grayson said it best to me, several weeks ago at a moment when I couldn’t pay attention to him because of the time-consuming campaign, when he asked “Mommy, you’re always busy and working! Would you just be the Lt. Governor of our home?”

It’s been an honor serving my constituency in South Anchorage for the last 14 years. As Rules Chairman, and a member of Senate leadership, I’ll be cognizant of and responsive to the input and opinions received from the thousands of people I have met and listened to across our state.

I love Alaska and it’s been my home all of my life. I look forward to a productive legislative session in 2015 and working with the candidate who wins the seat and becomes our next Lt. Governor.

God bless all Alaskans.

Republicans hitting Begich over new EPA climate change rules

The National Republican Senatorial Committee will be launching robo-calls beginning on Tuesday that target U.S. Sen. Mark Begich’s alleged support for cap and trade. (Listen to the recording of the call here.)

The RNSC’s effort is on the heels of the Obama Administration’s EPA announcement that the agency is proposing new sweeping rules to target coal plants and cut carbon emissions by 30 percent of 2005 levels by 2030. If passed, much of that reduction will be done through a cap and trade plan that will be left up to the individual states.

“It’s not surprising Mark Begich stands by Barack Obama’s costly regulations, because he supported the same cap-and-trade energy tax plan as Obama,” the robo-call will say. “A cap-and-trade energy tax could have killed almost 6,000 Alaska jobs, and reduced disposable income for Alaskan households by more than $1,200.”

The numbers are questionable, as is the charge that Begich supports cap and trade at all. It’s something that he’s consistently denied, and the record is fuzzy.

But what is true is that if the regulations take effect, cap and trade will be a major compliance tool used by states elsewhere. Alaska has an alternative program, so it won’t be used here. But the state’s power plants and coal industry will be affected by the rules.

What’s also true is that in 2010, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who is highly critical of the rule, offered a resolution to stop the EPA from promulgating such regulations. The resolution needed 51 votes. She got 47 votes for it. Begich voted against it. In fact, he gave it a thumbs down on the Senate floor.

A statement by Begich’s press secretary at the time said that he didn’t vote for it because nothing was going to happen immediately. “Some regulations will not go into effect until 2016,” the press secretary wrote. At the time, Begich seemed sure that lawmakers could formulate an energy policy that would make the EPA rule moot.

The draft proposal will now be subject to a 120-day public comment period and will not be finalized until at least June 2015. States will have to submit plans by June 2016.

The issue is likely to haunt Begich throughout the campaign, as well as other Democratic Senators up for reelection in red states.

Contact Amanda Coyne at amandamcoyne@yahoo.com

Alaska Conservation Voters form pro-Begich super-PAC

Alaska Conservation Voters have formed a super-PAC, named SalmonPAC, to help get U.S. Sen. Mark Begich reelected. The super-PAC is planning to use 30 staff and spend $1.1 million going door-to-door and on direct mailers. It has no plans to buy radio or TV spots, its treasure Andy Moderow, said. For the past months, Alaska Conservation Voters have been running a steady stream of commercials thanking Begich for his work on fisheries. Because the ads do not mention the race or directly tell voters how to vote, they are considered “issue ads” and don’t have to be reported as campaign ads.

From the group’s press release:

Senator Begich has an important track record of independent leadership for Alaska in the United States Senate. From his strong opposition to the Pebble mine through his work protecting wild salmon runs and consumers alike from genetically modified fish, he has been a salmon champion that’s shown the kind of leadership Alaska needs in the years to come.

Loose Lips: Kelly has a Democratic challenger, social media gaffes, Graham leaves Commerce

This from a source in the know: “WITHOUT a Dan Sullivan – or a Mead Treadwell or Joe Miller – campaign spending placed on TV and radio alone, in the (Alaska) U,S. Senate race, has now exceeded $20 million from Feb through Nov 4, 2014.”
Word is Department of Commerce Assistant Commissioner Robbie Graham has resigned her position with the state and will become the vice president of operations at the Anchorage Daily News. Graham’s partner, Craig Medred, writes for the Alaska Dispatch/ADN, and their talented daughter, Katie Medred, writes for the Anchorage Press.
Last week, both Alaska’s Democratic Party and U.S. Sen. Mark Begich’s campaign made a big deal about a twitter mess-up made by GOP Senate candidate Dan Sullivan. When he filed for office, whoever does his tweeting said that he filed in Fairbanks, not in Anchorage. They used that as further evidence that he’s not a “real Alaskan,” etc… However, Sullivan’s campaign could have hit back with its own example of a social media gaffe that could point to a bigger issue in the candidate. On Memorial Day, whoever posts on Begich’s Facebook page pretending to be Begich, said about his visit to Unalaska: “It was a privilege to visit this site during Veterans Day weekend.” It was quickly fixed. Sullivan’s campaign didn’t say a word about it.
Happy birthday to John R. Coyne Jr. The best father in the world, a Marine and a Korean War Vet, who knows the difference between Veterans Day and Memorial Day.
The State of Alaska is seeking to join a lawsuit brought by Pebble against the EPA to prevent the agency from doing what it’s basically already done: “taking land by prematurely limiting development before the state’s permitting processes have a chance to work,” so says the state. Pebble filed the suit earlier this month. Via Attorney General Michael Geraghty: “The EPA’s action undermines Alaska’s ability to utilize its mineral resources to grow the economy and create jobs if, after detailed and lengthy environmental review, permitting is warranted.”
Republican Fairbanks state Sen. Pete Kelly has a Democratic challenger. The challenger, Tamara Kruse Roselius, is 52 years old. The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports that she has a law degree but not a license. Instead, “she’s volunteered her legal expertise through the Disability Law Center to local parents with special needs children. She said she helps parents navigate the school system and ensure that their child’s needs are met.”
Monday, June 2, is the last day to file for state and federal office.
Upcoming Events:

June 5, 5 – 7:30 p.m., Rep. Shelley Hughes’ campaign kick-off at the Palmer Downtown Deli, 550 S. Alaska Street.
June 5, 6 – 8:00 p.m., Sean Parnell fundraiser, 183 View Avenue, Fairbanks.
June 5, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m., Yes on One’s first “Statewide Day of Action House Party,” at Tim Steele’s House, 2124 Solstice Cir. Anchorage.
June 7 and 8, 11:00 a.m., Eklutna Potlatch and Pow-Wow. In conjunction and celebration of the National Congress of American Indians mid-year conference, June 8 – 11 in Anchorage.

ObamaCare fears coming true

From Politico:

Liberals wanted a national enrollment system under Obamacare. They might just get it.

Right now, 36 states rely on HealthCare.gov, the federal exchange, to enroll people in health coverage. At least two more states are opting in next year, with a few others likely to follow. Only two states are trying to get out. That’s precisely the opposite of the Affordable Care Act’s original intent: 50 exchanges run by 50 states. The federal option was supposed to be a limited and temporary fallback. But a shift to a bigger, more permanent Washington-controlled system is instead underway — without preparation, funding or even public discussion about what a national exchange covering millions of Americans means for the future of U.S. health care. It’s coming about because intransigent Republicans shunned state exchanges, and ambitious Democrats bungled them.

Comment of the week: Why one reader is voting ‘No’ on repeal

The comment below was written by faithful reader and commentor Lynn Willis in response to a story about AOGA’s annual luncheon:

Our elected officials brought us this legislation and they deserve to be solely responsible for the effect of what they did. Only time will tell.

We all hear the claims that passage of SB 21 brought an immediate huge financial loss to the state and counter claims that SB 21 brought immediate capital spending by the producers to increase production. Neither of those claims could possibly be true in the short time since passage of SB 21.

According to the proponents of SB21, state taxes are holding back oil production. If SB21 is repealed and production/state revenues continue to decrease, how will you feel for the next decade when all you will hear from the producers and proponents of SB21 is “I told you so,” because they will then have license to blame all their problems on the repeal?

Therefore, I will vote “NO” and let those who supported this legislation have the time to “put up or shut up” and thereby put myself in a “win-win” position by either benefiting from increased state revenues or by being able to clearly understand that this generation of politicians in the political majority have no idea what they are doing.

Loose Lips: Three Valley amigos, tension in Alaska’s GOP, Dahlstrom leaves and Kohlhaas returns

Ay, caramba! In the Valley, they call them the “the Three Amigos,” which for no good reason is particularly funny when you hear Rep. Wes Keller use the term to describe the three Valleyites–Roger Purcell, Steve Jacobson and Verne Rupright—who are running against Reps. Keller, Mark Neuman, Lynn Gattis. Word is that it was a joint decision. ¿Por què? Es un misterio, as are most things among those who drink the Valley water. Purcell and Jacobson have both run in the Republican primaries against Keller and Neuman and have lost big.
Ay, caramba, Part II: On Tuesday night, the Mat-Su March of Dimes committee had their first organizational meeting for their August fundraiser, “High Heels For High Hopes” fashion show. Word is that Mat-Su Schools Superintendent Deena Paramo and Rep. Lynn Gattis are two of a slew of models that’ll be walking the fashion show catwalk.
This just in: Former chair of the Alaska Libertarian Party Scott Kohlhaas has filed to run for Senate as a Libertarian. He told the online Libertarian Republican that he’ll be running on a “pro-choice, anti-war, and open borders,” which also means that he’ll be digging into Mark Begich’s support. (Addendum: Or at least that’s supposedly what he’s thinking.)
Word is there’s some tension between former Alaska GOP Chair Randy Ruedrich, who claims to know all about Alaska’s Republican Party and really does know a lot, and current Chair Peter Goldberg. Then again, Ruedrich, bless his heart, isn’t known to be a tension-free presence.
Wonder where Eddie Burke’s been? He’s now with the federal government and he’s here to help! He’s working for the VA and he even belongs to a union! Burke was at the GOP Senate debate on Thursday night sponsored by United for Liberty and the Conservative Patriots group.
Former Rep. Nancy Dahlstrom has given her resignation notice from her position as executive director of the Alaska Workforce Investment Board. This will be the third position with the Parnell administration from which she has resigned.
Kenai Borough Mayor Mike Navarre has filed a letter of intent to seek re-election.
On Tuesday, Linda Leary formerly with Carlisle Trucking and now with ACS hosted a fund-raiser for Governor Parnell’s re-election campaign. The rumored take was somewhere north of $5,000 but south of $10,000.
I’ve been told that Providence Hospital has laid off 200 Alaska employees this year with the possibility of more layoffs in the weeks ahead.
If you see people walking around the streets of Anchorage this weekend with white teeth and smelling of blind ambition, chances are they’ll be state legislators from places like West Virginia and Minnesota. The National Conference of State Legislatures is having their spring executive committee meeting this weekend in Anchorage. You can thank, or not, Speaker Mike Chenault and his chief of staff Tom Wright for bringing the bunch here.
Fundraiser alert: On Wednesday night, Cindy Sims, a force in the administration whose title seems to elude all, held a fundraiser at her home. It was co-hosted by Parnell’s COS Mike Nizich and nearly the whole of the governor’s cabinet. Conspicuously absent? Head of Alaska’s National Guard Major General Katkus, as well as but a handful of representatives from the private sector. It was, however, crawling with state workers. Also that night Rep. Sam Kito III had one at Sweet Basil Cafe on Northern Lights, and at the Petroleum Club, Speaker Mike Chenault and Rep. Mike Hawker held a joint event.
KTUU-Channel 2’s Sheila Balistreri is retiring. After 38 years in broadcasting and 20 years at KTUU, her last broadcast was Friday morning.
The Vote No on Ballot Measure 1 movement got a big boost on Wednesday with the formation of a new independent expenditure committee formed by several Alaska Native corporations including ASRC, NANA, Doyon, CIRI, Bering Straits, and BBNC. Rex Rock from ASRC will chair the newly formed organization that has been named “No One on One.” Get it? Bradley-Reid has been retained as the organization’s ad agency. The group is expected to spend approximately $500,000.
The Alaska Women in Resources reception was held Wednesday evening at the Anchorage museum. Muchas amigas in attendance.
Event:

June 1, 4:00 p.m. “Repeal the Oil Tax Giveaway Auction,” 159 Kniffen Road, ~~Anchorage~~ Fairbanks.. Hosted by Sen. Hollis French, Rep Scott Kawasaki, Ray Metcalfe, Hal Gazaway, Bill Fikes, Sharon Alden, Sean McGuire, and others. “Bring a potluck dish, an auction item and money to spend.”

Contact Amanda Coyne at amandamcoyne@yahoo.com

Begich, Murkowski and GOP Senate candidate Dan Sullivan respond to Shinseki’s resignation

Below are Sens. Lisa Murkowski, Mark Begich and GOP Senate candidate Dan Sullivan’s statements on the resignation of Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary General Eric Shinseki. I’m including Sullivan’s response because he has made it in an issue in the Senate race. Read background here and here.

From Sen. Lisa Murkowski:

No one can question General Eric Shinseki’s service to our nation or his patriotism. However, it is fair to ask how entrenched the system-wide bureaucratic problems are that General Shinseki inherited and how best to push to the VA into a more transparent and effective era.

From our state’s vantage point, Secretary Shinseki took a keen interest in reforming the Alaska VA healthcare system – advancing many positive improvements. He answered my call to ensure that Alaska veterans would receive treatment in Alaska instead of flying to Seattle for care available here. He entered into groundbreaking agreements with the Alaska Native health system to treat rural veterans, bringing an effort I began in 2006 to a successful conclusion. And he supported expansion of the Tribal Veteran Representative program.

Because of his deeply held belief in accountability, General Shinseki submitted his resignation to the President today. But this structural problem is far larger than one man, and if true reform is to be enacted and felt within the VA, Shinseki should be the first of many, many more to depart the agency.

Our veterans deserve better. Americans demand more.

From Sen. Mark Begich:

There are few more important responsibilities of the federal government than caring for our nation’s veterans. General Eric Shinseki ably served his nation in war and continued to serve his nation’s veterans as Veterans Affairs secretary. He has demonstrated a lifelong dedication to our country, his troops and to our veterans.

Secretary Shinseki’s resignation won’t fix the problem various reports have found of poor treatment and care of our veterans. The VA needs strong leaders now more than ever before. That’s why I will push to swiftly find a new leader so we can get back to doing the important business of providing veterans the quality care they need and deserve.

Fortunately, my staff and I have a strong and productive relationship with the VA here in Alaska. We have regular meetings to discuss gaps in services and to work on solutions. As a result of our good relationship with local providers here in Alaska, we got ahead of the issues now coming to light in other states. For example, when wait lists for care began to grow we partnered with VA to put innovative programs in place to ease the backlog. As a result, over the past year the number of veterans on the waiting list for primary care in Anchorage was reduced from more than 900 to under 20 and wait times to see a primary care provider were reduced from 90 days to just seven days.

As a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee I will be aggressively monitoring the outcomes of the internal reports and demanded answers so that the VA in the Lower 48 can achieve the progress we have seen here in Alaska.

Senate candidate Dan Sullivan:

As I have said before, I thank Secretary Shinseki for his decades of dedicated service in the U.S. Army, but the failures at the VA are disgraceful and a change in leadership was drastically needed,” said Dan Sullivan. “The White House and Congress must act swiftly to install new leadership at the Veterans Administration, and ensure that the next Secretary is properly vetted and capable of addressing the problems the Inspector General has called ‘systemic.’

Despite the numerous calls from both Democrats and Republicans for Secretary Shinseki to step down, Senator Begich has remained on the sidelines, failing to truly acknowledge the problem, instead standing side-by-side with President Obama until the bitter end. While Secretary Shinseki’s resignation and replacement is a necessary first step, more must be done to properly honor our commitment to our nation’s military men and women. The White House and the Veterans Affairs Committee must act now to better serve Alaska’s 77,000 veterans and their families, by moving the VA Management Accountability Act out of committee for a vote. I have emphasized the critically important issue of how our country cares for its veterans since day one of my campaign, and I will continue to give it the attention it deserves as a U.S. Senator.

Contact Amanda Coyne at amandamcoyne@yahoo.com

Veterans Affairs Secretary Shinseki resigns

Amid increasing pressure from first Republicans and then Democratic lawmakers, President Barack Obama said Friday that he had accepted the resignation of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki.

“I want to reiterate: he is a very good man,” Obama said, but the secretary came to believe that “he could not carry out the next stages of reform without being a distraction.”

Shinseki had been under fire from the VA scandal that left hundreds of veterans waiting for healthcare for hundreds of days. In Alaska, GOP Senate candidate Dan Sullivan has been pressuring Sen. Mark Begich to call for Shinseki’s resignation after a preliminary report was released this week that detailed problems with the VA.

Begich sits on the Veterans Affairs Committee.

This week, Sullivan’s campaign put out a series of releases about Begich and Shinseki, calling Begich, among other things, “derelict” for not demanding Shinseki’s resignation.

On Thursday, Begich held a press conference and called the scandal “unacceptable and outrageous,” and said that he was doing everything in his power to fix the situation. However, he said that he was going to wait until a final report was released before deciding whether or not to call for Shinseki’s resignation.

This week also Kark Rove’s super-PAC, Crossroads, had started running ads tying Begich to the scandal.

The pressure on Begich wasn’t likely the sole reason for Shinseki’s resignation, but it probably added to the decision, as did pressure the administration was feeling from other Senate Democrats, some of them up for reelection.

Contact Amanda Coyne at amandamcoyne@yahoo.com