Candidate for Alaska governor Charlie Pierce, now serving his second term as the mayor of the Kenai Peninsula Borough, has hired Jake Thompson as his campaign manager. Thompson was a member of the Pierce campaign for borough mayor, and has a career in broadcasting at KSRM Radio in Kenai, where he hosted the “Tall, Dark, and Handsome” Show and “Sound Off With Jake Thompson.”
“Jake is a welcome addition to Team Pierce and will be overseeing campaign operations. I look forward to his leadership as we move forward. Please join me in welcoming Jake to Team Pierce,” Pierce said in a statement on Tuesday.
The campaign has also launched its website at charliepierceforgovernor.com.
Pierce, a Republican, is the third GOP member to challenge sitting Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy. From the Wasilla area, Rep. Chris Kurka has also filed a letter of intent to run for governor, although he cannot actively fund-raise during the legislative session, which is usually at least 120 days. Pierce has no such restriction on campaigning.
Bruce “Roger” Walden, also a Republican, has filed as a gubernatorial candidate. For the Democrats and undeclared candidates, Former Gov. Bill Walker and former Rep. Leslie Gara are in the running. Billy Toien is a Libertarian Party candidate on file with the Division of Elections as a candidate.
Only Walker and Toien have announced running mates so far. Under the new scheme of voting, candidates for governor must have running mates for the primary election. The last day to file as a candidate for the primary election is on or before 5 pm, June 1, 2022. The top four vote getters in the primary election will be placed on the general election ballot, where voters will rank them in the order of their preference. It’s a voting method used in Maine and places like San Francisco, and it was approved by Alaska voters via a ballot initiative pushed by Outside dark money in 2020.
