In what can only be described as a full refutation of a progressive agenda, Matanuska-Susitna Borough voters turned back a host of liberal candidates in the deep red heartland of Alaska.
On Municipal-Borough Election night 2021, voters overwhelmingly supported well-known conservatives for borough Mayor, Assembly, and School Board. Conservative candidates are averaging 62.8% of ballots cast in those elections.
In a battle for the Mat-Su mayor’s post, longtime politico, current Palmer mayor and former State Senator Edna Devries handily defeated former Wasilla Mayor Bert Cottle and and former Assemblyman Matt Beck. In most precincts she garnered more votes than both her opponents combined.
DeVries was a formidable candidate. She served on the Palmer Council and was chairman of the Planning and Zoning Committee. She is a former member and vice chair of the Alaska Commission of Aging, and former member and chairman of the Human Rights Commission. She also has 29 years of business experience, including as a real estate broker, owner of three Christian book stores, and a pizza restaurant. Along with her husband Noel, she ministers to abused women and the homeless, and runs a School of Government class for the public. She was previously mayor of Palmer, borough Assembly member, borough mayor, as well as a state senator.
The unofficial final count for mayor was Devries-7,623, Beck-3,577, and Cottle-2,000
DeVries was not the only big winner. First-time candidate Dolores McKee mopped the floor with her liberal union activist opponent. McKee is wife of current Assemblyman George McKee, mother of former Americans for Prosperity Director Ryan McKee, and sister of former Senate President Pete Kelly.
DeeDee, as she is known, was heavily outspent, nearly 2-1 in the race. At the conclusion of election night, she was winning the race approximately 65%/35%, a landslide.
The unofficial final count in Assembly District 3 was McKee-1,180, Bailey-427, and Kruger-198.
Incumbent Assemblyman Jesse Sumner turned back two challengers, garnering over 66% of the votes on election night. He is a young and growing political force in the state after jumping in to serve on the Assembly three years ago. The unofficial final count in Assembly District 6 was Sumner-1367, Short-563, and Clippard-133.
Conservative school board Chairman Tom Bergey took nearly 63% of the vote. The final count was Bergey-1,592, Berrigan-940.
Newcomer to politics Jubilee Underwood claimed over 67% of the vote in her school board election. The final count was Underwood-846, Walther-413.
Ron Bernier, owner of JP Construction, won handily for Assembly District 7. The final count was Bernier-1,192, Boeve-737.
With the Mat-Su Borough being the second largest and fastest growing region of the state, these landslide election results must be deeply concerning for former Gov. Bill Walker, who seeks to return to that seat after being trounced by voters in 2018.
The Mat-Su Borough is home to Gov. Mike Dunleavy and the most conservative legislative delegation in the state. It counts House Minority Leader Cathy Tilton, Senate Majority Leader Sen. Shelley Hughes, and Sen. David Wilson on the Senate Finance Committee and Rep. DeLena Johnson on the House Finance Committee as delegation members.
This is not an area that can be lightly dismissed. Any statewide election, including the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives seats, will depend on this region for a victory in November 2022.
Mat-Su voters changed their election date through a ballot measure in 2018 to line up with the national General Election; this is an off-year for a statewide election, and so the Mat-Su is the only borough or city in the state with election results.
The borough election appears to have been well run, with results coming in timely, unlike elections in communities that have moved to mail-in ballots, such and Anchorage and Juneau, where results are not known for many days and voters have grown wary of the chain of custody of ballots. In Juneau last month, hundreds of ballots were tossed because after they were mailed, the Post Office didn’t put a cancellation mark on them to indicate if they were mailed on time.
“in the deep red heartland of Alaska.” Ooohhh, I LOVE that part. Well done Mat-Su voters.
Matsu showing the State how its done! Let’s Go Brandon! Though we got work to do as the conservative vote out here should be no less than 75% of the total vote.
Such great news to hear in the morning! So wonderful to have the conservative candidates win. Mat-Su is definitely lucky to have Edna Devries as their mayor. However now Palmer is down a conservative seat right?
You see Anchorage, it is that easy
Fortunately, Hughes and Tilton represent the northern section of the Municipality of Anchorage. Now we need to scuttle Kelly Merrick, who stabbed her voters in the back.
Unfortunately, probably not for long. The Redistricting Board will release their final map for the 2022-2032 election cycles a week from tomorrow and it appears that both will no longer represent any portion of MOA. Because of the growth in the MatSu, both will likely only represent MSB.
God bless Mat-su people!
so so happy the Matsu showed up and kept our community in that red wave ?? don’t bring your liberal garbage around these parts.
YES, this is AMERICA….not Germany!
NAZI meant the German National SOCIALIST workers party!!!!!!!!
Don’t be fooled….
“Nazi” was a nickname coined by a journalist. It was the NSDAP or “National Socialist German Workers Party”. National Socialists considered “Nazi” to be an insult since the journalist who coined the term was a Jew.
According to the numbers and percentages presented in this article, around a third of voters in the Mat-Su Borough did NOT support conservative candidates. Elected officials need to remember that they have a duty to listen to, and look out for the best interests of, ALL of their constituents, not just the ones who voted for them. The winners in elections don’t get to say to those who don’t agree with them, “You don’t matter, and your issues and concerns will be ignored.” And since when is a 2/3 to 1/3 margin a “landslide”?
Did someone whizz on your cheerio’s this morning?
Okay, let’s not fool ourselves now. If the democrats wins they don’t listen to the conservative voters in their districts. Look at Anchorage or even the Presidential office. Are those democrats listening to the other half of America who voted for their opponents? Remember we’re in a soft war for freedom in America. The republicans who won should do as much as they can to fortify election integrity and to strengthen our core values as Americans. Individual rights and the pursuit of happiness free from government intrusion. Freedom baby!
Your point about politicians supposedly (a strong emphasis on “supposedly”) being obligated to represent ALL of their constituents, not just those who voted for them.
.
Funny, though, how we never hear such admonishments when it is radical leftists who manage to win office. And just how is that ‘representation of ALL of their constituents’ working out with the non-leftist constituents of the Marxist Nine on the Anchorage ass-embly? Just examine, for example, the recent and unprecedented public testimony by literally HUNDREDS of people against the absurd, onerous and useless mask ordinance. Did all or any of that vast public input sway ANY of the Marxist Nine from their predetermined and arrogant plan? Not in the least.
.
In other words, Alexandra in your plaintive cry for elected officials to listen and look our for the best interests of ALL of their constituents, I cannot help but hear the typical hypocrisy and double standards of the radical leftist once again.
Umm… “We Won, you don’t matter and your issues and concerns will be ignored” is exactly what Barry O said when he had complete control of the US Government 2009-2010.
.
Why is that liberals always want to “include everyone and all ideas” when they are in the minority, but when they’re in the majority, they forget their driving desire for inclusivity?
.
As a current example, the libs want to end the Senate Filibuster to eliminate any dissent from the 50-50 Republican minority.
.
Or, if local examples of hypocrisy are more your speed, why does the Anchorage Assembly run roughshod over, and ignore, the percentage of Anchorage that did not vote for them? Or, for that matter, why does that very same Assembly obstruct the duly elected mayor at every turn?
.
You’re feigning outrage to “remember those that didn’t vote for you” is boring and predictable.
.
Don’t forget to drop “RACIST!” in as often as you can.
I’m sure you wrote to the Anchorage Assembly and demanded the same of them.
And yes, 66% to 33% would be called a landslide anywhere.
Those people should move to LosAnchorage, Seattle or Portland where other Communists and America Haters gather. Or better yet I hear real estate in North Korea is cheap.
Have you not been paying attention to the Anchorage Assembly and School Board? A full half of this city is derided, disregarded and unrepresented. And the “elected” officials” *don’t care.* It’s refreshing to see the Valley have sane candidates and majority voters.
Also, in a time when many elections run close to 50/50, 2 to 1 IS a landslide.
No. Play by the same rules the democrats do.
Besides, when conservatives win, everyone wins.
When progressives win, everyone loses.
My advice is these pinko libs need to move and leave, go live amongst their own kind, like Commifornia. We are done placating to these ignorant commies! WE ARE DONE! LET’S GO BRANDON!
Alexandra, you have just described the tactics of Democrat politicians. Remember the famous Obama quote? “Elections have consequences.” You have nothing to worry about with these elections, things will only improve.
Mrs. Duane are you saying your stinking socialists give us Americans a say in their slavery and death cult?
Clearly the valley does not have “mail-in” whatever you call it………
Anybody notice the black boxes they were feeding their votes into were Dominion voting machines..? Something to think about..
But we can say, we are taking our valley in a conservative direction and you are FREE to move to Anchorage, or leave Alaska.
It’s amazing how quickly the left goes from governing by executive orders to you can’t ignore 1/3 of the populations. The left has been dictating to and ignoring over half the country for 10 months now.
Anchorage? Do the same!
I so wish we could have that up here in the Fairbanks North Star Borough!! Too many liberals in Fairbanks!!
A very good result overall. Pretty good results nationwide actually.
The democrats news source ignored the mat-su valley elections. I don’t do Facsistbook so I depend on the local reports.
Correction: As I indicated in a recent comment, the Denali Borough also holds their elections in November.
FANTASTIC NEWS!!!
Comments are closed.