Doubts raised about GOP Senate candidate Dan Sullivan’s Alaska creds must be working, because the campaign just put out in a response to those claims, using one of the best weapons they have: Sullivan’s wife Julie Fate Sullivan. The new ad isn’t exactly a roaring response, but it sets the stage for what could be one. ”I’m a lifelong Alaskan, born and raised here. Our roots go back thousands of years,” says Fate, which is more than any other spouse of any other Senate candidate can say.
Much is known about Sullivan. Less, however is known about his wife, who will likely play a larger, more visible role in the campaign, particularly if Sullivan wins the primary.
Fate, of Athabaskan descent, is the daughter of Mary Jane and Hugh “Bud” Fate, a highly respected Alaska couple from Fairbanks. Mary Jane was an Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act advocate, one of the first Alaska Native woman to attend UAF, the first woman co-chair of the Alaska Federation of Natives, and the first woman on the board of Alaska Airlines. Bud was a dentist and served in the Alaska state House for four years.
Julie herself graduated cum laude from Harvard, has a master’s degree from Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism, worked for Sen. Ted Sevens, was a reporter for the LA Times when Dan was on active Marine duty in California, and she spent four years as president of the PTA and continued to freelance when she moved back to Alaska in 1997.
She and Dan have three teenage daughters. Two of them were born in Alaska. All of them attend Anchorage public schools.
Just an FYI to anyone reading the comments, the poster calling herself “Mae” is a xenophobic racist and should not be taken seriously.
And L48 Dan, you are no Ted Stevens, that I do know.
So who are you L48 Dan?
Your piggybacking on your wife’s Alaska Native culture, your comparing yourself to Uncle Ted…. you say your “always fighting for Alaska”, but you wrote a bill to halt, silence and stop Alaskan voices in public decisions with our Alaska State government.
So how is your relationship with Parnell? You two best buddies while remaining in the closest, least till the election is over?
Only a newbie would attempt to compare himself with Uncle Ted.
Hack must be relying on the short term memory of all those L48 north slope new hires to get L48 Dan voted in.
So now L48 Dan is carpetbagging thru the Athabaskan Nation?
Good god, Julie must like the house in DC better than the one here.
WHITE Alaskans I know, don’t need to state their closeness or ties to Alaska’s rich Alaska Native culture to prove how Alaskan they are.
So your expectation then is for anyone in Washington DC that is working for the federal government, either by election or appointment, should be homeless or rent? By the way, Begich bought a very expensive home there as well.
The whole mind set on display by your post is so incredibly obtuse that defies logic. The man was appointed to a federal position and took his family with him. You want to punish the man for that? You are either being heartless or illogical…or maybe both.
Great video. Just goes to show you that any white guy can move up here, marry into a native family, and piggyback off 10,000 years of culture. I’m sure our ancestors are proud!
Anyone who has worked in DC knows that if you want to spend time with your family while on assignment–you have to avoid a commute. Avoiding a commute means spending over a million $ on a house. A small price to pay and a worthy investment to spend less time commuting and more time with your growing family. Please, move along to the next talking point from the Alaska Democratic Party.
Erm, what about the million dollar home outside of D.C. ?
Sure, did not ever cross his mind not to be an Alaskan resident!
Good luck with not ever wanting to leave Alaska and then at the same time trying to get back to the East Coast.
Great ad. Julie is a tremendous asset for Dan Sullivan. All the crap about residency is just negative political advertising put out by Begich and his team of east coast liberals that want Begich to run against a weaker candidate like Treadwell or Miller. The bottom line is Alaska is Dan’s home. Since he moved here, the only time he left was to serve his country – – something that Begich and Treadwell should be ashamed that they didn’t do.
It’s rather simple, a vote for anyone other than Dan Sullivan is the equivalent of voting for Mark Begich.