Last Second Candidate Filings Flood In
It’s not that Alaska politics isn’t always interesting but the drudgery of the last couple of months has been draining. The Republican run state capitol has been nothing but frustrating – not passing anything of meaning for an entire session. Including a budget.
So today, the last day to file as a candidate suddenly it suddenly became VERY interesting.
There’s awesome news, some bittersweet news and some &^%*$ what is going on sort of news. Let’s get to the awesome news first. Friend of TheMudflats and life of the Union party, Vince Beltrami is running for State Senate. Now, while that’s pretty freaking cool – it’s not the awesome news. The fact that he’s running against the scourge of the Senate, Sen. Cathy Giessel, is the awesome news. This fight is going to be more interesting than the one that’s happening between Hillary and Trump. Currently Vince’s campaign site is a bit of “coming soon” but I do love the slogan: “BOLD LEADERSHIP, NOT BLIND PARTISANSHIP.”
Here’s Vince signing the paperwork with the all important headshot. Credit: Beltrami for Alaska/Facebook
Next up is Dan Sullivan is running for Senate! No… not that Dan Sullivan, the other Dan Sullivan. The man formerly known as (Anchorage) Mayor Dan has decided to run against US Senator Lisa Murkowski. Nat Hertz of the Alaska Dispatch News posted this on his twitter feed. This race should be quite amusing as long as it lasts. Not sure Mayor Dan has the Joe Miller level of support that one needs to run against the money machine that is Murkowski… but hey, remember 2010?
Next up is a bit of bittersweet news, the always awesome and fun Johnny Ellis is retiring. Tom Begich, Senator Mark Begich’s brother has already thrown his hat in the race and so has community organizer Ed Wesley.
In other races. Rebecca Logan is running for State House and Kevin Kastner, exec. director of the Iron Dog race filed as a Republican for the seat currently held by Sen. Bill Wielechowski.
Sullivan v Murkowski race can be really fun if the loser is banished from Alaska forever and the winner indicted and jailed.
Last election cycle I sat through a Q&A on which Giessel was a part. Compromise was anathema. It was akin to abandoning one’s principles. In other words, my way or the highway. Nothing polarizes quite like an elected official who is intractable.