Democrat Elvi Gray-Jackson, an Anchorage-based state senator, is running for U.S. Senate, the first Democrat to challenge Sen. Lisa Murkowski this year. She announced it today to the mainstream media, although as of 9 am, her filing is not listed at the Alaska Division of Elections or the Federal Elections Commission.
“The Democrats now have a candidate that is much more than credible than Ray Metcalfe,” said Randy Ruedrich, former chair of the Alaska Republican Party, referring to a Democrat who ran for U.S. Senate in 2016.
Gray-Jackson worked as an aide to the Anchorage Assembly, before getting elected to the Assembly in 2014 and eventually becoming chair. At 69 years old, she is now in her first term as a state senator and would be nearly nearly 70 if she took office next year, and 76 years old at the end of her first term.
The Alaska Democratic Party has been grooming Gray-Jackson for the run for at least eight months, pushing her name out repeatedly. Over the summer, she started sporting a new, more conservative hairdo than her edgy, gelled-spikes look that she is known for.
Gray-Jackson’s entrance into the race will challenge Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who depends on the center-left votes to carry her.
This year, Murkowski has a significant challenge from the right, with Kelly Tshibaka running as a Republican. Tshibaka has the endorsement of the Alaska Republican Party.
“Elvi Gray-Jackson’s entry into the Senate race makes two Democrats for voters to consider,” Tshibaka said. “In fact, Lisa Murkowski already has been endorsed by a number of Democrats and been censured by the Alaska Republican Party. Between Jackson and Murkowski, there is no difference in how they would support abortion, oppose border security, approve liberal judges, or vote to confirm Joe Biden’s radical nominees who support defunding the police and hate our energy industries. Both Jackson and Murkowski represent political views that are out of step with everyday Alaskans. I will fight for Alaska values when I am in the Senate.”
Gray-Jackson is pro-abortion and anti-police. She has worked to make Juneteenth the 12th paid holiday for State of Alaska workers. She has introduced a number of bills to limit the ability of law enforcement to do its job in what can be fairly characterized as putting restrictions on police officers who are in dangerous situations. Her bills include:
| SB1 | Chokehold Ban | AN ACT ENTITLED “An Act prohibiting the use of chokeholds by peace officers; and relating to justification of use of force by peace officers.” | In Committee |
| SB2 | Peace Officers: De-escalation, Misconduct | AN ACT ENTITLED “An Act relating to reporting acts of misconduct by peace officers; relating to de- escalation procedures used by peace officers; relating to peace officer certificates; and relating to the Alaska Police Standards Council.” | In Committee |
| SB3 | Police Officers: Oral Warning/de-escalate | AN ACT ENTITLED “An Act relating to the Alaska Police Standards Council; requiring a peace officer to attempt to de-escalate a situation and use alternative non-lethal methods of engagement before discharging a firearm; and requiring a peace officer to provide an oral warning before discharging a firearm.” | In Committee |
| SB4 | Prohibit Peace Off. Shoot Moving Vehicle | AN ACT ENTITLED “An Act relating to justification of use of force by a peace officer; and relating to shooting at a moving vehicle.” | In Committee |
| SB5 | Proclaim Juneteenth Day A Holiday | AN ACT ENTITLED “An Act establishing Juneteenth Day as a legal holiday.” | In Committee |
| SB7 | State Trooper Policies: Public Access | AN ACT ENTITLED “An Act requiring the Department of Public Safety to publish certain policies and procedures on the department’s Internet website.” | In Committee |
