By DAN FAGAN
If you’ve lost all hope Alaska’s largest city will ever return to the bustling, prosperous, and mostly safe town it once was, consider Michelle Bryant.
Bryant drives a big truck all around Anchorage delivering fresh produce to restaurants. All day she works with restaurant workers and owners. They have become her friends.
Her job gives her a front row seat to the economic devastation that the unconstitutional lockdowns employed by the Marxists running the city have callously mandated, while ignoring public testimony. Their tyranny has hit Anchorage’s eateries like a tidal wave, washing away jobs, and forcing businesses to close permanently.
Bryant has witnessed up close – maybe more than anyone in Anchorage – the destructive potential of a power-hungry, micro-managing government to destroy lives. The experience has changed her profoundly.
But Bryant didn’t just belly ache and complain about what she witnessed in such an up-close and personal way. She took action.
Bryant began to show up at Assembly meetings to testify. She boldly faced the tyrants ruining so many of her friend’s jobs and businesses.
Bryant describes herself as someone who never had much interest in politics most of her life. But now she’s at the front lines of the battle.
At one meeting Bryant confronted the thin-skinned Assemblyman Christopher Constant for not giving respect and attention to those who came to testify. Constant whined to Assembly Chairman Felix Rivera that Bryant had the audacity to publicly say Constant’s name on the record.
“She called out my name Mr. Chair,” screeched Constant like a four-year-old crying about being teased on a playground.
The big question is how many other Michelle Bryant’s are out there. The non-political turned political, engaged, involved, angry. The ones who can’t wait to vote the bums out.
Disgraced and former Mayor Ethan Berkowitz, the current illegal mayor, Austin Quinn-Davidson, and the Marxist six remaining on the Anchorage Assembly transformed Anchorage into a city that’s barely recognizable. Especially downtown.
The newly engaged and impassioned may not go to the lengths of Bryant, who has taken the time to show up at Assembly meetings, but they certainly determined in their hearts to vote.
I received an email from someone recently telling me his wife, for the first time in years, will vote in the mayor’s race after seeing what’s happened to Anchorage under current leadership.
She’s also hosting gatherings with many of her friends hoping to educate them on who to vote for.
There’s no candidate that embodies the current direction the city is heading than uber-Leftist Forrest Dunbar. Dunbar is such a radical, he could potentially be worse than Berkowitz, if you can even imagine that.
What if establishment types underestimated the pure rage brewing among the public over the failed leadership in Anchorage. What if Anchorage isn’t quite as blue as supporters of “Bathroom” Bill Evans think it is? They’re banking on a mushy middle candidate.
There is no mushy middle constituency.
Conservative heavy weights like Andy Clary, Dave Stieren, Rick Rydell, Rebecca Logan, and former Mayor Dan Sullivan have thrown their considerable influence behind Evans, assuming a conservative is no longer electable in Alaska’s most populated city.
But have they factored in the Michelle Bryants of the world and the many others like her? I doubt it.
As much as Dunbar is the face of the hard left turn the city’s recently taken, Dave Bronson is clearly the most formidable opposition.
Bronson told publisher of this website, Suzanne Downing, during their latest recorded podcast, the polls show he’s the guy to beat, with all other candidates polling at 8% or below, with the exception of Dunbar.
Is it possible conservative candidate Dave Bronson could get 45% plus 1 of the votes and avoid a runoff with Dunbar?
Don’t rule it out. Once conservatives realize Mike Robbins and Evans have little or no chance, they most likely will go with Bronson.
I’m not predicting Bronson avoids the runoff. But I wouldn’t be shocked if he does.
Dan Fagan hosts the #1 rated morning drive talk show in Alaska on Newsradio 650 KENI.
I would think it would be a huge surprise if voters chose for more of the same. Voters aren’t stupid and when you screw over a vast majority of the population like this current mayor want-to-be, heads are going to roll no doubt on election day.
Based on re-electing Ethan, Princess Lisa, the assembly, the school board, ect I’d say Anchorage voters are profoundly stupid.
People get the government they deserve. Anchorage voted for this mess. Repeatedly.
Yeah you’re right. The Hope in me which is a die hard element thinks that someday voters will wise up. I knew the school board sucked when they didn’t hire Steve Atwater for superintendent. And then there’s been a revolving door in the state congress the mayor and the Anchorage assembly with characters with poor morals. I speak often down here in Florida about my times in Alaska, much of the time to fellow retirees from the upper Midwest and New York and Massachusetts. All blue States and they just shake their head because the kind of crap that goes on in Alaska wouldn’t even be tolerated in their locales let alone in backwater USA.
Certainly looks that way……….
Forgive me, but I just don’t think they’ll NOT manufacture whatever votes they need. Sleepy/Complacent Anchorage let them put mail in voting in and now the steal is there for good.
It’s plain to see that Dunbar would be a disaster.
I’m all in for Bronson but what I fear most is the 3 way division of conservative votes that will hand the victory to Dunbar. I’m sure Dunbar is counting on that too. Any chance of Evans and Robbins putting Anchorage before their egos by dropping out and supporting Bronson? Probably not. I’m already looking for a new home in the valley.
I was told repeatedly that the conservatives are counting on a runoff. I’m not a political strategest so I don’t know if they are right or not. However, if conservatives lose this very winnable race because the vote was split, there is going to be hell to pay.
My outlook, precisely!
I’m all in for ousting the current cabal. The 3-way split concerns me too. I don’t want to leave my home of 40 years by being taxed out of it by the idiocracy. I’m up to the chin with the current administration. Does anyone think the 3-way could form up behind one strong and viable candidate and just get this dysfunctional gang out of here? Bronson is my first choice, but can he win this election with a 3-way split? Sure hope so.
God bless the first amendment. Very well stated, Mr. Fagan. I have been appalled at the horror that is Anchorage these days. While I’m fortunate enough to not live there, I do have friends who live there and they hate the city they once loved. Some are actively trying to leave, but no one wants to buy homes in Anchorage. I’m very glad for the businesses in the Valley that have benefited from the folks who live in Anchorage and who come to shop or eat at our restaurants, but I feel very, very badly for the ones who have lost – or are facing the loss of – their business. Most of us in the Valley do our best to avoid having to come into Anchorage for anything. Other than a hospital stay, I’ve managed to not visit in nearly two years, and that’s how it is for most people. (The homeless drunks weaving in and out of traffic and begging are a huge deterrent to visitors).
Yes, I avoid Anchorage if at all possible. I miss the Symphony, the walks on the Coastal Trail, the joy of sharing my Alaska experience with visitors I met downtown, the great activities downtown, having lunch at great eateries, and just soaking up the sunshine on good days on a walk downtown. Never saw a turd on the sidewalk back then. What a disgraceful shame this city has become! Thanks to the “progressive” agenda.
Bronson gets my vote.
Whoever is mayor be all for the best. I bet if it’s Mayor Dunbar, we’ll see a lot more people flooding into their city councils vying for getting more conservatives on the councils. If it’s Mayor Bronson I still hope to see more conservative minded people still flood onto their city councils, a Mayor Bronson will still need the conservative city council support flowing into the Assembly.
Jen, you write about city councils here. I’m puzzled. Do you live in Anchorage? We have community councils and an Assembly. It’s my experience that community councils have little influence regarding city politics, and I participate in my local community council often. The Assembly is where the power is, and presently, the Assembly is controlled by some extreme liberals. So, please explain your comment with regard to city councils in Anchorage.
Now Dan is saying Rivera will go down in flames and Bronson wins.
Maybe this prediction might stick. Throw enough spaghetti at a wall something sticks eventually.
Perhaps it would be wiser to stick to pontificating, Dan. “Don’t you think?”
How can Andy Clary, Dave Stieren, Rick Rydell, Rebecca Logan, be Conservative heavyweights as Fagan describes. All or most of them have and probably continue to support Senator Lisa Murkowski. Now it’s Bill Evans. REALLY?
My wife and I spent the weekend in Eagle River, only hotel room we could get, evidently basketball tournaments, even in the Valley where we live.
Man, did we get an eye opener. Talk about a place beaten down by the mandates, I found an Eagle River that I had not seen before. Reminiscent of Eastern Europe during the days of the former Soviet Union. People seemed resigned, and I am not using hyperbole.
We went for breakfast Sunday in Wasilla. In Eagle River at noon, dead. Wasilla, a half hour later, traffic everywhere, full of people, including the restaurant we ate at.
I will not be spending a dime in the MOA from here on out until the people of Anchorage rise up and get rid of this Marxist tyranny.
The reason for the MOA continuing the emergency declaration? The cities of 200K and more are getting money directly from the feds, bypassing the state. This is all about money, folks. Money to continue the oppression.
Source please.
The reliable source is Larry Wood…….
You don’t need to quote any authority to be right.
I too became politically active 6 months ago. I’ve been testifying at the Assembly meetings for four months. It’s frustrating in that I’m aware at this point the majority of the Assembly does not care about actual data, simply their agenda.
Ironically, I’m not an anti-masker as I was initially labeled. Whether I view masks as beneficial or not is irrelevant. My wife and I wear masks per the present mandates. What is relevant is the fact I was naive enough in politics at my first audience participation to think the Assembly might care about the data presented by someone licensed to practice medicine in Alaska.
The mandate to wear masks even when performing intense cardiovascular exercise started my enlightenment in politics. I provided the Assembly with three peer reviewed medical journal articles supporting my position of the potential danger of exercise and sports while masked. Having a history of Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation resulting in three emergency cardioversions in the emergency room setting puts me at even greater risk while exercising with a mask.
The email rebuttal from the few members of the assembly that replied included links to news articles in the the NYT, USA Today, etc. The one response from the Mayor’s office by way of a fellowship intern included two “journal articles” one from Israel and one from Canada. Those studies included 14 and 16 subjects, all young with conclusions based on subjective data such as how the participant felt during exercise with and without a mask.
Though I realize my emails and testimonies are little more than background noise to the assembly and unelected, acting mayor, I continue. Why? Because I’m testifying so the people in Anchorage can hear an opposing view based in science.
I live in District 5 and my Assemblyman Dunbar is by far the poorest communicator on the Assembly in regard to my emails.
Remember this when you see your ballots.
Jim Wojciehowski PA-C
I’m with Paul Bauer. Baffling that the son of the invisible Alaska GOP president can be considered a “heavyweight.” If Stieren, Rydell and Sullivan want to vote for Evans, they must want what was once part of the problem. (If I recall, I believe that Evans compromised on the “bathroom bill”) I’m voting for Bronson because he’s not a bullsh—er and will fight for us.
Brad, Sullivan and Rydell, aka Richard Green and others understand that Anchorage is a Purple City at best and turning blue quickly. I believe that this guy Bronson will ensure a Forest Dunbar victory.
Conservatives will split their vote and you will be ruled by a radical minority.
I understand voting with your Heart, (ideology), however this time you might want to vote with your brain.
APOC poll has Bronson at 20%, Robbins at 8%, and Evans at 5%. So who should drop out????????????? No one is dropping out is the reality and if you believe polls you are looking at a Dunbar (22%) – Bronson runoff.
I’ve been actively fighting since before they closed the Assembly. We have been accused of starting a riot outside when we rallied out side while Berkowitz was still mayor.
What the Assembly has been allowed to do is extremely tyrannical in nature. When one party runs everything you get Hitler. Or Germany. So think about what we are seeing happen right in front of our eyes.
You have definitely put some time into your efforts and it’s greatly appreciated. You should consider running for an Assembly seat.
Anchorage Assembly, the majority belong to the Blue Anons.
Blue Anon, Defined in the Urban dictionary:
A loosely organized network of Democrat voters, politicians and media personalities who spread left-wing conspiracy theories such as the Russia Hoax, Jussie Smollett hoax, Ukraine hoax, Covington Kids hoax, and Brett Kavanaugh hoax.
Blue Anon adherents fervently believe that right-wing extremists are going to storm Capitol Hill any day now and “remove” lawmakers from office.
Everyone knows that Trump was a Russian plant!
Bro? Do you have any proof?
Yes! An unnamed source was quoted in the paper!
Sounds like another Blue Anon…
by artymcfee March 07, 2021
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