A door-hanger campaign flyer going around District 10 in Anchorage has a curious combination of candidates. The flyer is produced by the AFL-CIO and supports Rep. Mary Peltola in the Congressional race. But in the Alaska House race, the union supports Chuck Kopp, a Republican who is challenging Republican Rep. Craig Johnson.
Kopp is what is often referred to as a false-flag Republican. He opposes more of the Republican platform than he supports it.
Kopp was in the House starting in 2017, but was beat by Republican Rep. Tom McKay in the primary in 2020, losing 61-39. He is a retired police officer and active proponent of public employee unions. Now he’s taking on the Rules Committee chairman of the House, after having spent the lasts few years working as a political consultant for liberal candidates with his company “Winfluence Strategies.”
He has promoted the likes of Rep. Andy Josephson and Sen. Cathy Giessel and the Anchorage Daily News features his opinion pieces regularly, as he has laid the foundation for his return to elected politics. It appears that he would not be a fit for the Republican majority, however, since he has aligned so closely with Democrats.
In late 2018, Kopp, along with Rep. Jennifer Johnston, Rep. Louise Stutes, and Rep. Gary Knopp led a breakaway group from the elected Republican Majority.
They installed Rep. Bryce Edgmon as House Speaker. Edgmon, a Democrat, agreed to change his party registration to “undeclared,” to give the Republicans political cover.
In that organization, Kopp became the powerful chair of the Rules Committee. A year and a half later, he was trying to put together an organization that would make him Speaker. Now, he’s tying to unseat the current Rules chair.
The flyer also promotes “Yes” on Ballot Measure 1, raising the minimum wage.
