Treg Taylor is back on the ballot, and for good reason—he has fully complied with the law. Alaskans should decide if he will make a good governor. I believe he will.
He has shown he wants the job and does not give up when things get rough. He fought APOC’s and Lt. Gov. Dahlstrom’s decision to nullify his candidacy with calm resolve. He demonstrated patience and grace during this debacle—even calling for unity among remaining Republican candidates. He did not turn negative but calmly went about proving his case according to historic precedent.
He has also picked a winner as a running mate, Candice English, a woman of immense accomplishments in engineering and business. As owner of Northern Solutions, she has proven herself a capable business leader in Alaska’s highly competitive oil and gas industry.
Alaskans need to get to know Candice and her strength of purpose, resilience, and kindness.
By contrast, Alaskans recall how the Taylor APOC issue broke a year ago, and it was not by Democrats. Conservatives need less caustic rivalry and more civility and team-building.
At this juncture, we need to ask this: Who among the conservative candidates is best equipped to unite us? What team has actually accomplished the most in their lifetime and has a record of tangible successes that carry lasting value?
Conservatives like me value the effort it takes to raise a large, tight-knit family. Treg has done that. His strong marriage and selection of a running mate demonstrate a patience and ability to work with women of immense talent and capability. Other candidates lack this track record.
If conservatives want to change the status quo in Alaska, a law degree will help. So will Treg’s connections in the Department of Justice.
As to the backbone of what makes this country’s economy great—free enterprise business—I am putting my money on Candice. She knows how to compete, operate a large manufacturing plant, and take care of her employees and customers!
My advice to fellow Republicans: If you cannot be convinced to vote for Taylor/English as your first choice, consider them as your best second choice—as the team who most closely aligns with the team you ranked as your first choice.
As to JKT, the Democrat’s single-candidate strategy asks moderates to vote for a candidate they do not want: an outside-funded leftist who will expand government, implement an income tax, kill the Permanent Fund, decrease flexibility with schools, invite more union meddling in Juneau, and support anti-development interests who kill projects. The rural vote, I hope, will not support JKT’s socialist agenda for Alaska, which impedes individual freedom and further drags Alaskans into dependence on the government.
This op-ed expresses the opinion of the author. Must Read Alaska unequivocally supports the election of a conservative to the Office of Governor but does not endorse a particular candidate. MRAK encourages voters to rank all three Republicans in their preferred order.
