Bob Poe Steps Out of Alaska Governor’s Race
Today gubernatorial candidate Bob Poe announced he is stepping out of the race for Governor of Alaska.
“Although running for Governor of this great state the last 17 months has been one of the most gratifying and enriching experiences of my life, I believe it is time for me to step out of the race.” Poe added, “In today’s economy I am unable to raise the funds necessary to gain the broad statewide name recognition required to win the race for Governor. Since I came into this race as a new name for many Alaskans the hurtle is simply higher for someone who has not been a professional politician.”
Poe announced his run for Governor on January 8, 2009 and ran on the platform of developing and diversifying Alaska’s economy so Alaskans can build a sustainable future here for themselves and their families.
“We have the opportunity in Alaska to take the cushion oil and gas development has afforded us and build a more sustainable future. However, that requires we have leadership, vision and frankly the courage to take the risks necessary to build that future. As a people, Alaskans are more optimistic than the rest of the country, we believe in our dreams and we are willing to make the effort and often take the risks to see them become a reality,” said Poe.
Poe has served four Governors during his 29-year career in Alaska. He has been deeply involved in a variety of economic development efforts including leading Alaska’s marketing and negotiating teams to attract the FedEx and UPS cargo hubs to Anchorage, helping to form the Alaska Heart Institute, heading the state’s investment bank, Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority, and leading Anchorage’s economic development as CEO of Anchorage Economic Development Corporation.
“I have spent most of my adult life serving this state and working to make Alaska a better place, that was the reason I stepped up to the plate to run for Governor during the Palin admistration. I could not stand by and watch the future of Alaska take a back seat to personal political ambitions” Poe added. “But my greatest concern right now is voters may simply choose to settle for the status quo rather than challenge our next Governor to have a compelling vision for our state. However, I do remain optimistic about Alaska’s future because Alaskans are in charge of the outcome of this election.”
[Note]
I’d like to send best wishes from The Mudflats community to Bob and Terzah Poe. Together they’ve worked incredibly hard, and done much to enrich the conversation about Alaska’s future. When Bob threw his hat in the ring, he was anticipating running against Sarah Palin. A lot has changed since then, but I have continued to be impressed with both the energy and work ethic of this campaign, and its willingness to engage the blogosphere, and social media. It was not in the cards this time, but thanks to Bob Poe for stepping out there to serve, and to all those who supported him with such passion. The Democrats still have two great candidates. I share Bob’s optimism about this election, and his sentiment that we will need to challenge all candidates to move Alaska forward with compelling vision.
UPDATE:
Gubernatorial candidate Ethan Berkowitz has issued the following statement regarding Bob Poe’s announcement that he will no longer seek the office of Governor.
“Bob ran a positive campaign based on ideas, and I will carry many of them forward,” said Berkowitz. “He was a pleasure to spend time with on the campaign trail.”
Mr. Poe, in the event you read Mudflats comments:
I’m not an Alaskan, so my opinion is electorally valueless, but I would like to echo many of the other comments here in saying that you appeared to be the most technically qualified candidate. However, the issues of funding and name recognition are of huge consequence in modern electoral politics, and I salute you for recognizing a bridge too far, and acting on the recognition while it still makes sense.
Stepping out because you cannot see a viable path to victory is, perhaps, the best evidence we could have that you were the smartest candidate in the field. It is the polar opposite of the vanity candidacies we see at every election these days. One hopes that your timely decision will strengthen the eventual Democratic candidate.
It’s probably not appropriate to congratulate someone for withdrawing from an election, but I will congratulate you for being able to evaluate your competitive position without emotion, and then to actually take action based on your evaluation. Both of those traits are rare. You’d probably make a terrific governor.
So sorry to see you leaving the governor’s race.IMO you would have been great for the State of Alaska and bought some honesty and integrity to the state as Governor.This comes from the articles and opinions I have seen about this race…It is so sad when someone who would do well in politics can’t because of money.
Thanks for letting us get to know you, Bob Poe.
How disappointing. Alaska really needs Bob Poe. He doesn’t feel the need to filter his views. The other two are way too malleable as regards the repubs values. What is Alaska coming to.
I’m really sorry to hear this!! Thanks for all you’ve done for our state, Bob! I really appreciated the video you shared with us early in the race, from the Kodiak boat harbor, I believe. It really gave me hope when Sarah had cast such a darkness over our state. Thanks again for your service.
Oh dang.
Mr Poe-
I got to chat with you twice, once as an everyday person in Southeast, and once when you asked to answer all the questions a few of us at Anonymous Bloggers had for you in February in ANC.We were pretty tough on you in ANC and I was very impressed with how you responded on a number of the issues.
I’m very sorry to see you step out of this race. Was the first time in a long time I felt we had someone who had real vision for a future for Alaska instead of a re-scripted what-we-always-did-but-new-and-improved type plan.
Very best wishes to you in your next set of adventures.
AKM- I’m so bummed… but thank you for providing a place I know Mr Poe will get my thank you for his time and effort.
Dang.
there is something about that man. i like him and wish him well.
Okay, this stinks. Bob Poe jumped head first into this race when the Bitter Twitter Quitter was still governor. Lets not forget how Bill McCallister attacked him after he made factual criticisms of her royal highness. I think the investigation of ole Bill making political attacks while being an official state spokesman is still going on. I enjoyed calling Mr Poe and asking questions, and while I disagreed with him on some issues, I understood his arguements and he based his positions on facts as opposed to a political agenda. He was willing to take on Sarah even when she was still in the clouds, and once she was gone, other people suddenly found their voice to take on SP2. I would compare his attempt to Diane Benson. In 2006, she was the only one willing to take on Don Young. In 2008 with a possible investigation looming over Don and him looking weak, bang, suddenly other people are interested. I was happy to see a new face, with different experience and different ideas. And with all due respect to Ethan, you lost as Lite Gov in 06 (he originally was running for governor but then backed out when Tony Knowles decided to run) you lost to Don in 08, and I am not sure if three times is a charm. I just thought it was time for some new ideas and new direction.
Just too sad that the person who seemed the most qualified and intelligent has dropped out of the race. Like our country after Bush and Cheney, Alaska needs a governor who can clean up the mess left by the previous and current administrations.
There is something so warped about our system of elections in this country when the best people are pushed out of the races, either for financial or moral reasons. When you have people like Michelle Bachman, Rick Perry, John McCain, John Boehner, Mitch McConnell and, of course, Her Majesty Queen Sarah of Palin in office, something is very, very wrong with our system!
So sorry you’re leaving Mr. Poe. The field is decent enough, but you were clearly the best. Problems with state-wide name recognition and the corresponding difficulty raising money are at the heart of our electoral issues. We really need campaign finance reform on all levels (except the Supremes just gutted AZ’s finance law, so who knows where this will go in the future). In any case, thank you for speaking out and I agree with an earlier commenter, we would be most interested in knowing who you decide to support and why. Best wishes.
My fave leaving – I had a feeling he would since he appears to be concerned for the greater good. Which is why I liked him. Ethan Berkowitz is smart and nice, but uninspiring. Hollis French is experienced, smart and an excellent public speaker – but still not my choice unless he successfully fends off all the stupid Troopergate stuff that will be thrown at him (the Rs will bring it up, over and over and over…) He has the name recognition, and the support of Senator Gara so I’ll just hope for the best.
I’m jumping off my bridge here in Juneau if we elect another idiot R for gov. Parnell is pandering to the loonies and I’m done with him. He was more professional than the self aborted Twit – and not quite as whacked out – but he’s still way too far to the right to successfully bring this state together. I’m tired of this religion in politics crap up here – and the corruption is beyond tolerable.
Mr. Poe – next time, please! I will miss your smiling and honest face. Damm.
Senator Gara? Ooops, Rep. Gara and who knows why I made him a Senator.
I hope whoever the Dem candidate is, can haul in the Independents and undeclareds. On the Republican side my feeling is, Walker will win the primary.
I hope Bob’s following will rally behind our Dem candidate(s). Thank you for putting yourself out there Bob (and Tirzah). I’m sure it was an excellent adventure.
Sorry to see you go, Mr. Poe (from the city where another Poe, Edgar Allen lived across town). I hope Alaska shows $P2 the door.
It may be a sad day, but Alaskan Dems HAVE to get behind just one candidate, or we will be stuck with another ASS like the current Mayor of Anchorage. We have been our own worst enemy since the last general election and we need to get our act together soon!
Go for it! We’ll be rooting from afar. What is one state, United, without the other?
AKM has done a great service of informing all readers about the state and State of Alaska.
I’m sorry to hear this. Mr. Poe just seemed so good, well informed experienced, and intelligent. Of course, I echo others’ sentiments for the best of everything for his future. I’ve always wanted well for Alaska, and I hope other candidates can provide that.
I’m sure you all know what I meant.
I hope we will develop strategies to bring down the cost of campaigning so more worthy people can run for office. Whether that means public financing (as through our income tax refunds), establishing ceilings on how much be spent, or limiting the season for campaigning or other alternatives, I would really like to see significant changes made so those without special interest investments in their campaigns can stand a reasonable chance of getting their messages out to the public.
I understand the Supreme Court ruling is going to allow unlimited funds from corporate and union sources, but why couldn’t some sort of limitation on the type or amount of advertising? The cost of campaigning is mostly due to the astronomical costs of running radio and television ads. There are costs for staff, travel, print advertising, et cetera, but my experiences with campaigns has proven to me that the broadcast advertising bills are the ones that suck up most of the money.
The media has a vested interest in not promoting campaign finance reform because they earn so much from it for quite an extended time. Perhaps that is also why the media corporations start the “election season” punditry almost the day or week after an election – perhaps they are greedy for the revenue that extended campaigning provides.
Mr. Poe, first of all thank you for putting your best effort forward. I can imagine
running a campaign is not easy and I appreciate that up until now you had to
sacrifice a great deal of your own resources to make this candidacy happen. Even
though it is not economically feasible to you to run for Governor, your vision
for Alaska’s economic future inspired me and I hope that you may see an opportunity
to run again in the future.
The Democratic primary race in Alaska just lost a compelling candidate. But I do
believe your sacrifice will help to strengthen the chances of a Democratic victory.
And for that you should be commended.
Bob sure sounded like the best hope for Alaska.
The best candidate for governor has withdrawn. If that doesn’t say our political system is broken, I don’t know what does.
I like both Ethan and Hollis a great deal, and either would be a far cry better governor than Mr. Parnell; yet I think Bob Poe had both the clearest vision for Alaska as well as the best chance to win in the general election.
Perhaps he will run for something else another election cycle. It was good that he got out and got some name recognition, the lack of which was probably his biggest obstacle. This just demonstrates again the need for publicly financed elections.
“This just demonstrates again the need for publicly financed elections.” — YES!
Barring that (or maybe in conjunction with it) a LIMIT on what a candidate may spend. Depending on the position being sought, the ‘cap’ would be lower or higher [funding for town-of-2,000 mayoral run being less than a town-of-20,000 mayoral run; less for a bid to be representative to the state senate than a bid to be a representative to the US senate.]
I, frankly, am so damned tired of *good* candidates being forced out of races because of funding while real bozos keep right on rolling along because they’ve got backers with deep pockets (both from inside *and* outside their area/district/state) or are, personally, ‘well heeled.’ Enough, already!
To my way of thinking, a candidate ‘stumping’ for votes *on the issues*, strengthens our Democracy; a candidate pandering to interest groups *for the funding*, diminishes it. Sadly, our current system seems to be promoting –and encouraging– the latter. beth.
Did he really say, “… the hurtle is simply higher …”?
Different sort of track and field event, that: the hurtles!
(Sounds like a moppet-haired rock band.)
Maybe they’re what Yertle the Turtle jumps over!
Career politicians indeed. Parnell’s been around for decades but no one could remember his name. His half-asses Congressional run against Don Young was an embarrassment. Sarah told him to go for it and he thought that was all the legs he needed. He voted ‘present’ in his run and quit the second the numbers were negligible. Is there tenacity in Captain Zero to earn a statewide manifest?
What gets me is that he’s got the fundy / Prevo vote locked up, why is he pandering so, the same way McCain did when that fringe would vote for no one else?
Berkowicz, he’s a nice guy and all, heart and votes in the right place, but he’s a little odd and there are no teeth to his meme.
French let the clock run out and failed to produce meaningful censure of a Governor found to have violated State ethics law. If a practicing attorney and storied lawmaker couldn’t make something happen after a damning report, what would it take for him to stand up for Alaska under his gubernatorial tenure?
Poe was an outside insider, working for different administrations that positively impacted Alaska’s economy. Unlike Palin, he actually did conduct trade missions back and forth with Russia.
I need to learn more about Walker and the other guy, but Poe was the only one that had me interested in his promise, his vision and his intelligence.
The deck is crowded, and we’ll have this lame-o running the show Palin fashion if we don’t put more oomph into ONE candidate against Parnell.
Sorry to see you go Bob, thanks for trying. Wish you the best in your next endeavor.
I am sadden also to hear this although I understand the battle.
Hopefully this is not the last we see of Mr Poe and his plans for Alaska.
We need people with vision and I hope he has a place in either the new administration or another run in the future.
Now enjoy your summer, you have earned it!!
NO! I am not Alaskan, but omg, I wanted there to be viable candidate(s) for all of you to help get rid of Parnell and to do some real positive things for Alaska. I have been reading where Parnell has not even shown up for the debates. What in the world is going on there? And are his approval ratings such that he can just waltz away with the governorship for another 4 years?
from the outside, lower 48 – I don’t even know what to say.
I enjoyed that I had the chance to get to Know Poe.
Warmest wishes to you Mr. Bob Poe. We’ll be looking out for your future happenings !
sniff…
I was looking forward to the debates with Poe in there.
sniff…
Anyway, this guy, starting his campaign back when he did, gave me some confidence towards AK politics. So all is not lost. A little sad, but not lost.
Cheers to you Mr. Poe.
Now go fishing!
Awww Bob, sorry to hear that you dropped out, but I can see why you would drop out due to lack of funds. I hope you back the best person and share with them your wisdom.
Too bad – he seems like a reasonable man with a clear vision of what the state needs to move forward.
Sorry to hear this. I’ve enjoyed watching Poe grow.
Bob Poe’s graceful withdrawal just highlights that he is a worthy man and candidate. I wish more politicians had the maturity and responsibility to set aside their ego’s to do what is right for their family and for the people.
I know it is probably tempting to stay quiet about the other candidates, but i hope Mr. Poe will be candid about who has his vote, and why.
A VERY sad day for Alaska.
Yes, sad day today…….and tomorrow? Bob Poe will be an asset to any administration. I wish him only good, and trust that his expertise will be utilized, whoever wins.
A sad day.