A fundraiser on Wednesday night at the Matanuska Brewing Company in Anchorage brought together the team of rivals that is the Alaska Republican Party.
“We are united by the platform and planks, and I am not here to pretend that we don’t have problems, but I’m here to tell you that we are going to work it out,” said Sen. Peter Micciche, who organized the fundraiser for the General Election Senate Republican candidates.
“I can guarantee you that the Senator Stedman’s district is very different than Sen. Shower’s,” Micciche said. “But if you’re going by the platform, we’ll work it out. We’re united on a spending limit and smaller, more efficient government, less redundant regulations, and a strong economy and jobs. We’re united by the need to protect the Permanent Fund. Our areas of disagreement have been clear, but with a majority of equals, we will be forced to spend many hours at table together as a team deciding what those solutions look like.”
The event brought in an average of $250 per donor, for a total of $30,000 raised from a lot of new participants — welders, accountants, police officers, and some folks from the Dunleavy Administration. The crowd was not the typical lobbyist gathering.
Micciche introduced all the candidates moving forward to the General Election. “The difference in this group represents the difference in Alaskans and how they feel about key issues. We’ll work through solutions, because we will be hearing equally from both sides.”
“Our goal is a majority of equals. Everyone needs to understand the difference in each of our districts, so we understand where each senator is coming from and so we can be respectful of those differences and still come together on solutions.” – Peter Micciche
Just three Republican senators were missing: Gary Stevens of Kodiak is not traveling due to the pandemic; Mia Costello of Anchorage is out of state on a long-planned trip; and Click Bishop is at his mine.
Among the speakers were Gov. Mike Dunleavy and former Rep. Ralph Samuels. They both stayed on the theme of uniting as a team. Also attending were some Republican House representatives, including David Eastman and Ben Carpenter, Alaska Republican Party Chairman Glenn Clary and former Alaska Republican Party Chairman Randy Ruedrich.
The unity shown by so many Republican senators bodes well for the prospect of a Republican majority, possibly led by Micciche in January. But a couple of the seats are in marginal districts and none of the senators were overconfident about what the Senate majority will look like. No one will have that answer until Nov. 4 at the earliest.
Senator Micciche would make for a great Senate President.
The guy who voted to take our PFD?
No thanks. This is Imhoff’s partner in crime. He can take a seat in the back and if he wants to support Alaskans, support the Governor, and back a full PFD, great, but he’s no leader.
As a Republican, I am against perpetuating excessive spending – and totally opposed to universal basic income, which masquerades in Alaska as the PFD. Both the budget and dividend should be cut. The PFD should go. It is horrible policy which has hijacked the agenda for almost 40 years.
Then cash our FULL 50% out of the statutory distributable portion and call it quits. Nothing less. I’ll support that.
I’ve been supporting it since the ’90’s – the writing was clearly on the wall then.
I want and will support Shelley Hughes for Senate President, I don’t trust Peter that much to that position.
Mike I’m in total agreement, she is the only one who left the binding caucus!
Robert Myers will serve our district well……and stick with his fellow Republicans.
I am with you North Pole Patriot in support of Robert Myers. I am sending him more money to help his campaign.
I’m with Randy and the Patriot. Myers drives a truck and moves goods and services to Alaskans. An ordinary working guy, who can balance a checkbook. Money coming your way, Mr. Myers.
Once the PFD is gone, government spending will go through the ceiling. Politicians just can’t help themselves. The PFD acts as a check AND a balance, kinda like how corporations use it to check their spending. It is your share of the royalty. It is not UBI. Alaskans mortgage no land beneath them, which is fairly unique to our state. That is because all Alaskans own the land.
Sorry, Pete, but you’re a flip-flopper and I’m not getting excited about you as a possible Senate President.
“Our areas of disagreement have been clear…” what, at this very damned late date, could these “disagreements” be, Pete?
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“…but with a majority of equals” what in the real world does this magic mean, Pete?
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“…we will be forced to spend many hours at table together as a team deciding what those solutions look like.”
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Forced by whom, Pete? Alaska’s army of lobbyists and public-employee unions? What does “forced” look like in your world, Pete? A team, right… who’s gonna take one for the team when the varsity decides there’s not enough money for the benchers, Pete?
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Sweet Jesus, Pete, if you and your cohorts haven’t figured out by now “what those solutions look like” there’s not much hope for you, or more importantly, for productive Alaskans who’ll be stuck with the bill for your lot’s ignorance and lack of foresight.
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But the pep rally went well, the crowd heard what it wanted to hear, your lot Got Money, which after all, is a modern Alaskan politician’s main (and only) objective, right?
Totally. Agree. Well said.
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