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.
LMAO. Charlie Huggins is not fit for any elected office. He is a hot-headed bully and an ideologue who is not above manipulation and rule-bending to get his way. His own colleagues won’t make him Senate president again, so he’s clearly not lieutenant governor material.
Quick question for you; has Mayor Sullivan ever missed an assembly meeting because he was in his office passed out from an afternoon drinking binge? Or has his staff had to try to wake him up from his alcohol induced afternoon nap in order to make an important work session? If you want an honest and open debate regarding political issues and candidates, then be honest about who they are and the very serious reasons they would not make good leaders. Calling out Lesil on her substance abuse would not be necessary if she were not abusing substances. Get off your holier than thou perch and deal with the reality of this woman. The majority of us have.
Nice ridiculous name GOP Delegate…..You exemplify my point. You go after McGuire personally, and you make the illogical argument that you respected her before, but now that she’s focusing on her family and not running for Lt. Governor she’s lost your support forever. That’s just plain nonsense. And then you toss in her ex-husband, who for all intents and purposes paid his debt and is moving on with life from what I can see (his radio show is intelligent). You say she needs to give up the bottle and her ex? It’s just silly banter. Should Mayor Sullivan stop drinking and his known escapades too? Next you’ll say Begich isn’t Alaskan, or Don Young is a paragon of virtue. Now go make another fake name so you can continue pointless comments. Amanda – it really does get old – and I know you can’t (well – you could, but choose not to) control the dialogues….I hope more of your educated posters engage – and not the ones with personal-agendas against your topic-holders (these being the gadflies who obviously have personal connections to the people their impugning). By the way – YES I dig McGuire. She’s smart and impressive in accomplishments. Rather than bitch about her personally, get off your ass and run yourself so we can blog about you personally. I’d devour that schadenfreude.
Up to now, I have been a huge fan of Lesil McGuire’s. Sure, I’ve heard the rumors and criticisms associated with her personal life; however, there were some really good aspects about her candidacy. She was a Republican woman who had statewiide appeal. She is also a huge disappointment as demonstrated by her withdrawl from the race. So much so that I will not ever trust her or support her for anything. She’s dopping out for famiy reasons and as of today’s Facebook posts because she has dirty dishes and clothes to wash. How lame is that? I think her critics are right : until she gives up the bottle and her ex-husband, there isn’t much of a future for her in politics.
Andy: Let’s all keep a keen eye on Wolf!
Good coverage Amanda. You must be in the know considering how fast you break stories. As for the topic, it’s clear the negatives, similar to your post of McGuire’s animation ad, are coming from legislative aides or individuals who know McGuire personally, or her ex-husband. Maybe they’re the same person with a lot of time and hot air to waste with the same stale attacks. They’re certainly not leaders, nor are they policymakers. Perhaps they’re jealous? It’s curious the extra viciousness against Anderson, which doesn’t make sense. And there’s a theme like this, against a few others too (Begich has been a target but to a lesser degree). I’m unclear how it makes this policy and campaign forum a better source to read and engage in when the same contributors fuel the same nasty, ugly attacks. (My only one of this nature was about Mr. Fagan and it generated one of your few reprimands). I hope people get less personal and more thoughtful in posts. For instance, I’m hearing Treadwell is gaining ground. I’m also hearing Gov. Parnell is losing ground. I wonder if the Walker/Fleener team have momentum, and with Mayor Sullivan’s negatives as an executive, could a Parnell/Sullivan ticket be vulnerable? And could Kelly Wolf of Kenai Peninsula win Lt. Gov.? (That last question was my attempt at humor)
Lesil, I too would like to lend my sarcasm by thanking you for electing Dan Sullivan.
I would like to send out a sarcastic thank you to Senator Lesil for waiting until the last minute to drop out. If she cared one bit about the party or others, she would have gotten out of the race so that one of her colleagues, like Charlie Huggins or John Coghill who are both better candidates than her, could have gatten in the race. Her race was horribly conceived from the beginning and highlighted with the stupid musical jingle that her know-nothing felon ex-husband created. Lesil McGuire needs to grow up and be less self absored. Her statement getting out of the race was sophomoric and insincere. I will never vote for her for anything. She disgusts me.
Glad she is out off the race. She was simply an annoyance and not a serious candidate.
McGuire in unfocused, selfish and spoiled. When she realized that running statewide was more than just fun and indeed required hard work, she quit. Did she care about all the people who contributed to her campaign? Did she care that the woman she hired to run her campaign resigned a good state job? Not one bit because she doesn’t care about anyone but herself. Knowing her reputation, it isn’t hard to guess what she’s doing tonight.
So she wasn’t aware she had a family when she declared for Lt. Gov in the first place? Really? And commuting between ANC and Juneau totally isn’t going to cut into “family time” either, right?
WHY do politicians insist on saying stuff that everyone knows is bulls**t?
Lesil dropping out of the race is more of a sad commentary on her life than a political story. She is an incredibly smart, articulate and capable woman. She is blessed with charm and grace. Unfortunately, she doesn’t realize the extent of her addiction and problem with alcohol. It is destroying her life and negatively impacting her son’s life. I hope that someday soon she realizes the extent of her problem, faces it and seeks help. Only then will she be able to begin to reach her potential. Her problem in politics is her alcohol abuse. She needs to realize it and face it.
Today’s poll from Dittman scared the “mom card” right out of Lesil showing her opponent with an intense lead, despite Union opposition.
http://youtu.be/yhQql-ZbZmg
Dan Sullivan will make a great Lt. Governor. He’ll be way better than Mead Treadwell, because Dan is better than Mead.