Alaska Legislative Digest

Transcription

1 Bradners Alaska Legislative Digest - Post Session Report Publishers Tim and Mike Bradner, akdigest@gmail.tim: com, (907) or Mike: (907) Governor s race gets complicated: Walker, Treadwell, Dunlevy, and Begich Digest June 3, 2018 It had been rumored for months that Republican Mead Treadwell would jump into the governor s race at the last minute and that so would Democrat and former U.S. Sen. Mark Begich. Treadwell frames a Republican primary against with former State Sen. Mike Dunleavy, and Anchorage businessman Scott Hawkins, while Begich gets a free ride through the Democratic primary. Three way gubernatorial race in November This frames a Republican, Democrat, and Independent race in November. The question is who survives the Republican primary, Dunleavy, Hawkins, or Treadwell. If it is Dunleavy then the race becomes more ideological. Begich also injects an ideological element to the left. Gov. Walker, Mead Treadwell, and Scott Hawkins are right down the middle. A three-way race also brings complicated electoral math. Treadwell, Begich, and Walker have statewide identification. Dunleavy does not. However, Dunleavy has the evangelical vote, his most noteworthy legislative advocacy being a proposed constitutional amendment to permit public funds to be used for private and religious schools. On the Begich/Walker side many Democrats were opposed to Begich getting into the race. - SEE GOVERNOR S RACE PAGE 7 Lt. Governor: Mallott, Meyers, and Stevens In the lt. governor s race are familiar faces, these being present Lt. Governor Byron Mallott, Walker s running mate. Then on the Republican ballot we have two present members of our Senate: Sen. Gary Stevens, of Kodiak, and Sen. Kevin Meyers of Anchorage. Both are former Senate Presidents. Also former State Rep. Lynn Gattis, another Republican, has filed. - Continued on next page The Alaska Legislative Digest & Alaska Economic are Alaska s oldest policy reports, published by Mike & Tim Bradner, Alaska Policy Publications Tim: (907) Mike (

2 U.S. House Race Incumbent Republican Congressman Don Young will face principal challenger Democrat Alyse Galvin of Anchorage. Galvin will face primary opposition from Dimitri Shein, of Anchorage. State Senate Races Fairbanks Senate Seat A: In Fairbanks Senate President Pete Kelly, Republican, is being challenged by Democrat Rep. Scott Kawasaki, a 12 year veteran in the House. Fairbanks Senate Seat C: In another Fairbanks region Senate race incumbent Republican Sen. Click Bishop is unopposed. Mat-Su Senate Seat E: House Republican Rep. George Rauscher, is challenging incumbent Republican Sen. Michael Shower. Shower was appointed to fill the seat held by Sen. Mike Dunleavy, who resigned to run for governor. Eagle River Senate Seat G: This seat is being vacated by retiring Sen. Anna MacKinnon. Running to fill the seat are Republicans Rep Dan Saddler (House Dist. 13) and Rep. Lora Reinbold (House Dist. 14). The winner of this Republican primary will face Democrat Oliver Schiess in November. Anchorage Mid-Town Senate Seat I: This seat is left vacant by retiring Democratic Sen. Berta Gardner, a 14-year veteran of service in the House and Senate. Running for this seat is Anchorage Assembly member Elvi Gray-Jackson, a Democrat. The Republican in the race is Anchorage businessman Jim Crawford. Southwest Anchorage Senate Seat K: Incumbent Republican Mia Costello will face Democrat Sam Cason in November. South Anchorage Senate Seat M: This seat is being left vacant by Sen. Kevin Meyer who is running for lt. governor. Candidates to fill this seat are Republican House Rep. Chris Birch (House Dist. 26), and Republican Bekah Halat, who will face Democrat Janice Park in November - Continued next page Our interim reports: The Legislative Digest will be publishing reports during the legislative interim For information Tim Bradner at timbradner@pobox.alaska.net, or Mike Bradner at michaelbradner@gmail,com. Page 2

3 Senate races - continued Kenai Senate Seat O: Senate Majority Leader Sen. Peter Micciche, R-Soldotna, faces a primary contest from Ronald Gillham, of Soldotna. Juneau Senate Seat Q: This is a seat left open by retiring Sen. Denis Egan, R- Juneau. Assemblyman Jesse Kiehl has filed as a Democrat. No other Democrat or Republican has filed. However, there are two candidates that have filed as nonpartisans (nominating petition). One is Don Etheridge, a long time lobbyist for AFL- CIO, while the other is Larry Cotter, executive direction of APICDA (Aleutian Pribilof Community Development Association CDQ). It is possible one or the other of these later candidates might withdraw. Westward Senate Seat S: Sen. Lyman Hoffman, D-Bethel, is unopposed in either the primary or general election. Races for State House seats Fairbanks House District 1: This is the seat of Rep. Scott Kawasaki, D-Fairbanks, who is running for a Senate seat. Filed for this open seat are Democrats Kathryn Dodge and Republicans Wolfgang Falke and Barton Lebon. Fairbanks House District 2: The Republican in this race is Rep. Steve Thompson who will face Democratic challenger Van Lawrence in the general election. Fairbanks House District 3: Republican Rep. Tammi Wilson does not face either primary or general election opposition. Fairbanks House District 4: A seat left open by retiring Democratic Rep. David Guttenberg. The Democratic candidate in this race is Grier Hopkins, while the Republican is Jim Sackett. Fairbanks House District 5: The Democrat in this race is incumbent Rep. Adam Wool, while the Republican challenger is Kevin McKinley. Fairbanks/Interior House District 6: The incumbent is Republican Rep. David Talerico, of Healy, who will face Democrat Ed Alexander, of Fairbanks in November. Mat-Su House District 7: Republican Rep. Coleen Sullivan-Leonard is unopposed in either the primary or general election. - Continued on next page Page 3 Alaska Legislative Digest No.25-18

4 Races for State House seats - Continued Mat-Su House District 8: Rep. Mark Neuman, R-Mat-Su, is the incumbent, and is opposed by Republican Andrew Murr, and also Libertarian Mark Fish. Mat-Su House District 9: The incumbent in this race was Republican, George Rausch, who is now running for the Senate. Republicans in this race are Vicki Wallner, of Palmer, and Pamela Goode, of Delta. The winner of the Republican primary will face Democrat Bill Johnson, from outer Fairbanks. Mat-Su House District 10: The Republican incumbent is Rep. David Eastman. There are two Democrats in this race, Patricia Faye-Brazel of Houston, and Lucy Neal, of Wasilla. Mat-Su House District 11: The incumbent in this district is Rep. Delena Johnson, R-Palmer. She faces a Republican primary challenge from Edna Devries, presently Mayor of Palmer. She previously served as a Council Member, Mat-Su Borough Assembly member, and former Mat-Su Borough Mayor. The Democrat in the race is Eileen Patterson, of Palmer. Mat-Su House District 12: The incumbent in this district is Rep. Cathy Tilton, R- Wasilla. She faces Democrat Stephany Jeffers, of Chugiak, in November. Chugiak/Eagle River District 13: Incumbent Republican Dan Saddler is running for the Senate, leaving this an open seat. The Republican in this House race is Craig Christianson, of Chugiak. The Democrat is Danyelle Kimp, of Eagle River. Chugiak/Eagle River District 14: Incumbent Republican Lore Reinhold, R-Eagle River is running for the Senate, leaving this an open seat. Republicans running for this open seat are Jamie Allard, of Eagle River, and Eugene Harnett, of Eagle River. The winner will face Democrat Joe Hackenmueller, in November. Anchorage District 15: Incumbent Republican Gabrielle LeDoux faces a primary contest with Aaron Weaver. There are also two Democrats in this race, Patrick McCormack and Lyn Franks. Anchorage District 16: The incumbent is Democrat Ivy Sponholtz who will face Republican challenger Stanley Wright in the general election. Anchorage District 17: The incumbent is Democrat Andy Josephson. He will face a challenge in November by Marcus Sanders. - Continued next page Page 4

5 Races for State House seats - Continued Anchorage District 18 (Midtown): The incumbent is Democrat Harriet Drummond. She is challenged in November by Anthony Lekanof. Anchorage District 19 (North Anchorage): The incumbent is Democrat Garen Tarr. She is unopposed. Anchorage District 20 (Downtown): The incumbent is Democrat Rep. Les Gara who is retiring. Democrat Garen Tarr. She is unopposed. Democrats filed for the seat are William (Zack) Fields, and long time political activist Cliff Groh Jr. Ceezar Martinson has filed as a Republican, and Warren West as a Libertarian, Anchorage District 21 (West Anchorage): The incumbent in this district is Democrat Rep. Matt Claman. He will be opposed in November by Republican Marilyn Stewart. Anchorage District 22 (West Anchorage): The incumbent in this district is Jason Green, who has filed as an independent, and will appear on the November ballot. Filed as a Democrat is Dustin Darden, and filed as Republicans are Liz Vazquez and Sara Rasmussen. Anchorage District 23 (Southwest Anchorage): The incumbent in this district is House Majority Leader Chris Tuck who is unopposed in the Democratic primary. Two Republicans have filed for this seat, Connie Dougherty and Forest MacDonald. Anchorage District 24 (South Anchorage): The incumbent is Republican Rep. Chuck Kopp. He is opposed in his primary by Stephan Duplantis. Filed as a Democrat is Sue Levi. She is unopposed in her primary. Anchorage District 25 (Lower Hillside): The incumbent is Republican House Minority Leader Charisse Millett. She is also past majority leader. She is opposed in her Republican primary by Joshua Revak. Filed as a Democrat is Pat Higgins. This will likely be a re-run of the 2016 race in November. Anchorage District 26 (Hillside): This seat has been vacated by Republican Rep. Chis Birch who is running for the seat of Sen. Kevin Meyer, who is running for lt. governor. There are three Republicans and one Democrat running for this open seat. The Democrat is Hunter Dunn, and the Republicans Laddie Shaw, Joe Riggs, and Albert Fogel - Continued on next page Page 5

6 Races for State House seats - Continued Anchorage District 27 (East Anchorage): The incumbent is Republican Rep. Lance Pruitt. He is opposed in his primary by Republican Donald Jones. The Democrat filed in this race if Liz Snyder Anchorage District 28 (Hillside): The incumbent is Republican Rep. Jennifer Johnston. She is opposed in her Republican primary by Ross Bieling. The Democrat in this race is Amber Lee. District 29 (North Kenai): This is the seat of retiring Republican State Representative and five-time speaker Mike Chenault. His moderating and skilled influence will be badly missed. Bidding for this seat in the Republican primary are Ben Carpenter of Kenai, and Wayne Ogle, of Kenai. District 30 (Kenai): The incumbent in this seat is Republican Rep. Gary Knopp. He is unopposed. District 31 (South Kenai): This seat is held by Republican Rep. Paul Seaton, R- Homer. He is opposed by three other Republicans, John Cox of Anchor Point, Henry Kroll, of Soldotna, and Sarah Vance, of Homer. There is no Democrat in this race, but Andy Cizek will appear on the general election ballot in November as an Independent candidate.. District 32 (Kodiak): Republican Rep Louise Stutes is the incumbent. She has primary opposition from Republican Richard Walker, and on the November ballot will be Democrat Dennis Harris and Independent Sandra Katelnikoff-Lester. District 33 (Downtown Juneau): This seat is held by Democrat Rep. Sam Kito, who is not seeking re-election. Two Democrats have filed, Sara Hannan and Steven Handy, both of Douglas. In addition filing as an Independent is Chis Dimond, of Douglas. District 34 (North Juneau): The Republican candidate is Jerry Nankervis, of Juneau. Two Democrats have filed - Bob Edwardson, of Juneau and Andy Story, of Juneau. District 35 (Sitka)): The incumbent is Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins. Two Republicans have filed - Richard Wien and Karl Skaflestad, of Hoonah. - Continued on next page Page 6

7 Races for State House seats - Continued District 36 (Ketchikan): This seat is held by Independent Rep. Dan Ortiz. Democrat Ghert has also filed, as well as Republican Trevor Shaw, making this a threeway race in November. District 37 (Bristol Bay): The incumbent is House Speaker Bryce Edgmon, a Democrat. Two Republicans have filed - William Weatherby, of King Salmon, and Stan Swetzof, of Naknak. District 38 (Bethel): There are two Democrats in this race. One is the immediate incumbent Tiffany Zulkosky and the other Zach Fansler, who resigned the seat during controversy last session. Darren Deacon is a Republican in the race. District 39 (Nome): Democrat Rep. Neal Foster is unopposed. District 40: (Kotz/Barrow) Democratic incumbent John Lincoln is unopposed. The governor s race just got complicated - from page 1 The governor s race split wide open Friday when former Democratic U.S. Senator Mark Begich and former Republican Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell jumped into the race. Before Friday there were three major candidates, incumbent Bill Walker, an independent and two Republicans, former state Sen. Mike Dunleavy and Scott Hawkins, an Anchorage businessman. Walker and Mallott, who had been flirting with running in the Democratic primary, now will instead run as independents, appearing on the November ballot. This sets up a potential three-way race in November where the outcome could be decided by a margin slightly more than a third of the state s voters, a minority. That scenario is highly unpredictable. Any one of the major candidates in the race could win. Walker s strengths include a high name recognition, credit given for facing up to the state s fiscal crisis and expanding Medicaid health coverage to thousands of low-income Alaskans. His weaknesses are lingering negative feelings among some voters for having vetoed part of the Permanent Fund dividend three years ago. If there is progress by November on a natural gas pipeline, which Walker has championed, he will get credit for that. - Continued next page Page 7 -

8 Governor s race - continued.... Dunleavy s appeal is mainly to conservatives, who are strong in Alaska, and strong positions on fiscal policy, favoring more budget cuts and a larger PFD, which Dunleavy said would strengthen the state s economy. Hawker is a new face, which many see as fresh, and his record as a successful businessman is a plug. Treadwell brings a business background as well along with government experience as lieutenant governor and previously a state Deputy Commissioner of Environmental Conservation. In a statement, Walker touched on his accomplishments: In the last three and a half years, we've made healthcare a reality for 40,000 Alaskans. We've reduced the state budget to 2007 levels. We've worked to diversify state revenue and move Alaska beyond the unilateral, paralyzing dependence on the price of a single volatile commodity, Walker said in a statement. We've seen that shift take flight with the passage of Senate Bill 26 this last legislative session, closing the fiscal gap by 80 percent. We've had tough conversations about our fiscal future, and we've told Alaskans the truth. Treadwell, in a statement, said, Many Alaskans all over the state were unsatisfied with our choices. After much prayer, and discussion with my family, I'm running to offer Alaskans a strong, pro-business, experienced conservative choice. In a message sent Friday to supporters Begich said, "I am running for Governor because the stakes could not be higher. Alaska is my home and I will not sit back and watch our state continue to fall behind." Begich kept people guessing right up to the last moment although rumored for months he would jump into the race. Treadwell s entry was a surprise to many, although his interest in running for some statewide office has long been known. Copyright publication of Bradner Policy Publication. Call Tim Bradner (907) or Mike Bradner (907) for permissions. Page 8