Rally in the Valley: 250 people pack the place

MEANWHILE, DEMOCRATS STEAL, MANGLE DUNLEAVY SIGNS

A Friday night campaign rally, part of the Mike Dunleavy for Governor whistlestop tour, brought out a big crowd in the Mat-Su.

The 250 people packed the banquet hall, and overflowed into the bar and the restaurant. Alaska Republican Party Chairman Tuckerman Babcock introduced Sen. Dan Sullivan saying, “Here’s the last guy who beat Mark Begich and he’ll introduce the next guy to beat him,” which was received enthusiastically by the crowd.

Sullivan spoke about the bad-old days with Sen. Mark Begich, Sen. Harry Reid, and President Barack Obama running Washington, D.C., and what a difference it has made for Alaska having a Republican delegation and a Republican president — for energy and for our military presence. But the current governor has had a strained relationship with the White House.

As he introduced Dunleavy, the Republican candidate mentioned that when he first thought of running for governor, he and his wife, Rose, considered all the things that could be said and all the dirt that would come their way. But in their wildest imagination, they never could have dreamed how negative the other side would get, he said.

“Next thing they’ll say is I’m 4-foot-9 and am actually a woman,” he joked. He also noted that Nov. 6 is important, but Nov. 7 is his wedding anniversary, when he and Rose celebrate 31 years of marriage. He also introduced his daughters, and noted that Friday was Kathryn Dunleavy’s birthday. The crowd burst out in song.

MORE RALLIES AHEAD

While Dunleavy heads to Fairbanks for a rally on Saturday, he’ll be in Anchorage for another rally on Sunday.

Saturday’s rally is at 4 pm at Gene’s Chrysler Dodge in Fairbanks.

Sunday’s rally is at 1:30 pm at Anchorage Christian School.

SIGN THEFT IS ‘NEXT-LEVEL CHUCKLEHEAD’

While Dunleavy has been on the road meeting Alaskans, the husband of Rep. Harriet Drummond had been busy stealing Dunleavy signs, trespassing on private property, and bragging about it on Facebook:

[Read: Panic sets in at Camp Begich]

Democrat activist Elstun W. Lausen, married to Rep. Harriet Drummond of District 18, set down his bong for a moment and decided to get in the political game at the 11th hour. He stole some signs that belonged to the Dunleavy group, and then trespassed on private property, where the Dunleavy camp has its signs placed with the permission of the owners. This is a misdemeanor, but for Lausen, that’s all in a day’s work.