Gov. Michael Dunleavy, whose first nominee did not pass muster with Senate Republicans, has offered the name of Rep. Josh Revak for Senate Seat M, to fill a vacancy that occurred upon the death of Sen. Chris Birch.
Revak serves House District 25, one half of the Senate Seat M district.
Earlier, Dunleavy had named Rep. Laddie Shaw, District 26, a two-time Vietnam veteran and retired Navy SEAL. Six Republicans in the Senate blocked his confirmation.
Revak is also a war veteran, having served in Iraq and been seriously wounded in battle; he has a permanent brace on one of his legs, which was blown up in Iraq. He worked for Congressman Don Young and Sen. Dan Sullivan, specializing in veterans issues.
Revak was born in Minnesota. Revak served in the U.S. Army from 2002 to 2008 as a battle tank crew member, earning the Purple Heart Medal for wounds received in combat.
Revak served as the treasurer for the Abbott Loop Community Council, and the director of the Wounded Warriors on Safari Program for the Safari Club International Alaska Chapter.
“I’m hopeful they will take it up quickly and hope he will be confirmed,” Dunleavy said today.
The amount of the Permanent Fund dividend appears to be the sticking point with six Republicans in the Senate, including Sen. President Cathy Giessel, Rules Chair John Coghill, Click Bishop, Gary Stevens, Bert Stedman, and Natasha Von Imhof.
Shaw supporter a full statutory Permanent Fund dividend, and Revak does too, which may make his confirmation a problem with the six in the Senate who want a smaller PFD.
If Revak is confirmed by the Senate, the governor will have to go through a process to replace him in the House. That will require a vote of House Republicans, who are also divided on the Permanent Fund dividend issue.
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