THE ANCHORAGE DAILY PLANET
It is with more than passing interest we note former Gov. Bill Walker is weighing a reelection bid in 2022.
Walker, a Republican-cum-independent-cum-undeclared-cum-independent and strict adherent of a government-as-religion philosophy, made his living as a lawyer largely by suing oil companies. He ran as a “fusion” candidate in 2014 with Democrat Byron Mallott, who died in May last year.
Walker says he will decide whether to run sometime after the Legislature goes home.
If he decides to run, it will be, to be kind, interesting. He was elected in 2014. In his tenure, he appointed his law partner attorney general, proposed a payroll tax that was dead on arrival in the Legislature and vetoed half the 2016 Permanent Fund dividend. He championed the Alaska LNG Project and balked at cutting government’s size.
Add to that, lingering questions about Mallott’s abrupt departure after allegations he made inappropriate comments to a female acquaintance, which effectively sank Walker’s ill-fated 2018 reelection campaign.
With all that, you have the makings of an interesting race. We wait with bated breath.
