Sen. Mike Dunleavy of Wasilla filed a letter of intent with the Alaska Public Offices Commission today to run for governor. He is a Republican.
Dunleavy, who represents District E, left the Republican caucus earlier this spring after breaking with the caucus about cutting the Permanent Fund dividend as part of the overall state budget solution.
His plan was to make more significant cuts to government spending and restructure the Permanent Fund in such a way that the dividends were fully funded in the traditionally calculated method. Before parting ways with the caucus, he served on the Senate Finance committee and was chaired the State Affairs committee.
A former superintendent of schools, Dunleavy earned a bachelor’s of arts in history from College Misericordia, now known as Misericordia University, in Pennsylvania and his master’s degree in education at UAF.
His political experience includes being elected a board member of the Mat-Su School District, where he served also as board president.
His resume includes working as a superintendent, principal, vice principal, teacher, program manager of the Alaska Statewide Mentor Project, and owner of an education consultancy.
He is married and has three children.
“We welcome a strong candidate to the Republican primary race for Governor,” said Tuckerman Babcock, chairman of the Alaska Republican Party. “The Republican Party looks to Alaskans to choose the best Republican candidate, and then we expect our team to offer the best choice for Governor in 2018. The race is on! Our platform is clear for the Republican team: More oil and gas = low taxes = more jobs. Our State Convention is planned for Anchorage, March 8-10, and we invite all Republicans to save the date.”
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Dunleavy wasn’t the first Republican to file for governor for 2018. That award goes to Michael Sheldon of Petersburg, who filed his letter of intent and has a web site.
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Thank you so much for reading.
I’m almost positive that there’s no favoritism in this article. Therefore, I believe your readers would appreciate hearing equally about both candidates. It was dismaying that Mr. Babcock feels Alaskans would like ‘low taxes’ instead of no taxes. So far, locally we are taxed for property; many Alaskans pay sales taxes; and a large portion of Alaskans pay Federal taxes; and all Alaskans extremely reluctantly (can we say referendum) paid over $1,000 in PFD taxes in 2016 and will again in 2017. Mr. Babcock’s half-statement leads me to believe the platform is not strong enough.
Beth – Mr. Babcock did not know about the other candidate when I asked him for a statement. -sd
Mike Dunleavy will make an excellent Governor as he had a good plan on Balancing the State Budget without taking the PDF or bringing fore any new taxes on the people of Alaska. The Senate Republican Majority drop the ball when they did not support his plan. We need new leadership and Mike can provide that.
Hello Alaskans, looks like, I have some competition in the Republican Primary for Governor of Alaska. The battle of the Michaels, as to win the Republican Primary in 2018.
A short history about myself goes back to being born in Petersburg Alaska in 1956. One of my parents was born in Wrangell, Alaska my late Father, Robert Sheldon, a longtime fisherman in the State of Alaska and Teamster truck driver. My loving Mother, Rose Cooday was born in Kake, Alaska and her mother, Annie was a full blooded Tlingit like my Mother and my Dad was part Native.
I have lived in Petersburg, Alaska all my life and when I joined the Republican party in my Senior year of high school, I can say that 43 years as a Conservative Patriot Republican has been a pleasure to serve and we look forward to being your next Governor of Alaska in the 2019 season.
It’s been quite a life for me working around the State as a mechanic, welder on the Alyeska pipeline to fishing in the commercial fisheries for the past 25 years as an owner operator. Now, I am a Handyman that learned his skills from his late Father Robert and have enjoyed 10 years as an all around Carpenter.
My political career has been short, for about 7 years. I sat on two boards and was chosen to go to Washington DC twice to talk before the Natural Resource Committee that Senator Murkowski sat on. I was chosen to speak over land management of Alaskan native tribes on issues concerning the Timber Industry of Southeast Alaska.
Well anyway, thanks for your time and I hope to shake the hands of my future constitutes in the months to follow.
Elect Michael Sheldon for Governor in 2018.
electmichaelsheldon4akgovernor2018.com/
I can gaze into my crystal ball, or, I’ve seen this movie before. The Democrats will make their nomination in some rich person’s living room and there will be no contest for the Democrat nomination for Governor. The registered Ds ‘ can vote in the Democrat Primary and the D-leaning NPs can go make mischief in the Republican Primary. It will be a quiet, boring Primary season with little attention to either race unless some external group throws a bunch of money at it, unlikely considering the US House and Senate contests around the Country. Dunleavy wins because he can turn out the vote in the Wasilla – North Pole – Tok – Glennallen – Wasilla triangle and nobody else in the State much bothers to vote other than supervoters. It’s pretty much Murkowski – Miller redux. Then when the nominees are set, the Dems and the Dem-leaning NPs return to the Democrat fold, the media led by the Dispatch unleash all Hell on Dunleavy; we’ll have non-stop commercials featuring Native women telling about how the taxpayer funded abortion in Anchorage or Seattle saved her life. The Republicans abandon him, leaving the field to the Democrats. Welcome to the People’s Republic of Alaska.
Dunleavy will be a breath of fresh air. He will probably overhaul the ADF&G by putting in a commissioner who knows the value of sports fishing and dip netting to the several hundred thousand Alaskans. He will make sure fisheries management complies with Alaska constitution that requires that fish be managed for the maximum benefit of Alaskans and not just for the small number of commercial fishers. He will appoint Board of fish members who will understand as well and will not reappoint the members who were appointed by Walker and who have done their best to eliminate sport fishing and dip netting on the Kenai Peninsula. The day is coming and it needs to happen soon. Go for it Senator Dunleavy!
There really are issues other than fish.
If what you are saying is Dunleavy will get rid of commercial fishing so that you can go and catch a few fish on the weekends then return to your 9 to 5????? I will do everything I can to keep him out of office
ABW.
Anybody
But
Walker
Dunleavy is a skilled, experienced administrator and will be the most skilled Governor since Gov. Egan. I am very happy to see him run for Governor.
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