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 |
perhaps this is an early April Fools joke by Ms. Jackson..!!
Two weeks ago I would have bet quite a bit that this woman would not run for the US Senate, but clearly I was wrong. Jackson is, and always has been, one of those legislators that often makes statements revealing she has only a very modest understanding of legislation. Her staffers, and they have come and gone, are often embarrassed and exchange knowing looks with people testifying in committee. Jackson (or Gray-Jackson, I suppose) is not alone in this of course; at any given time the Alaska Legislature can have a handful. Frequently I have observed that these unknowing, but often guileless, legislators draw staffers who see the potential for power to reside in the staff, but I do not know that is happening with Jackson. Jackson is not unique in being a minority race member with this predisposition, and that is all I will say about that. Sometimes they can even be part of the leadership but Jackson have never been so anointed. I suppose that by running for this office she can be first to do this and that in Alaska for one particular race; the media likes to talk about imaginative and imagined racial superlatives of this sort. Any participation she might have in debates will embarrass most Alaskans if media outside of Alaska rebroadcast excerpts (which they may not given her race). Oh well, I am glad I did not bet she wasn’t going to run. Presumably, if there was a cogent Democrat thinking of getting into this race he/she will be likely to not do so. If anyone has observations or experiences that contradict what I have stated here please say so.
Absolutely not enough of the old same song and dance integrity less clowns that got us all here. It’s time for change. Kelly is the ticket for us all. Oath integrity is absolutely nothing to play with. We deserve oath integrity from our oath takers so help me GOD.
She’ll be perfect for socialist Alaska.
I thought she did a fine job in “Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome”.
Question: What would be worse for Alaska than this woman representing us in the U.S. Senate?
Answer: Nothing
Hell NO!
Clearly the Democrats are doing the math on Ranked Choice Voting, or as I prefer to call it: Second Choice Voting. Sen. Gray-Jackson isn’t going to gather more votes than Sen. Murkowski, Se. Gray-Jackson’s role is to give left-leaning voters an opportunity to select her as first choice and Senator Murkowski as second, third, or fourth choice. Sen. Murkowski needs more second choice votes for the second round in the general election’s Ranked Choice ballot.
The math: There are now 11 candidates for US Senate listed on the division of Election’s website. Se. Gray-Jackson will make it 12. Mrs. Kelly Tshibaka will presumably be #13, and we can expect there to be more. Of this jungle of candidates who will advance to the general, and in the general attract second choice votes?
There are currently 4 Registered Republicans: Sen Murkowski, John Schiess, Sam Little, and Karl Speights. We expect Kelly Tshibaka to add her name as a Registered Republican. And there could be more. Republican voters have a lot to learn in selecting from amongst these candidates. Any of these candidates who make it to the general could attract Kelly Tshibaka as a second choice vote, or Sen. Murkowski if they perhaps see themselves as “moderate” Republicans. Even a third or fourth choice vote may flip the initial returns.
There is one Libertarian (Sean Thorne) and two Ak Independents (Joe Stevens and Darden Dustin). While these have less chance of advancing to the general, they are more likely to attract the more conservative of voters, who might presumably tend towards selecting Kelly Tshibaka as their second choice in the general.
The two Undeclared (Huhnkie Lee and Dave Darden) plus the two Non-Partisan (Sid Hill and Jeremy Keller) are less likely to advance to the general, but if they did, I have the hunch they will be more likely to attract moderate voter second choices such as Sen. Murkowski, but could also swing to Kelly Tshcibaka for a third or fourth choice?
It thus behooves the Democrat Party to find an individual willing to step forward and carry the left-wing banner. Sen. Gray-Jackson would not only have a greater chance of advancing to the general election than Libertarians, Ak Independents, Undeclared, and Non-Partisan candidates, her voters would be much less likely to select Kelly Tshibaka as their second, third, or fourth choice. The more liberal “D” voter would choose Sen. Murkowski, and likely be trained to do so.
Advantage Murkowski.
To win in the general, Kelly Tshibaka will need an overwhelming level of support to take the first round by more than 50%, and be the clear second choice for Libertarians, Ak Independents, and possibly Undeclared voters to survive the second and subsequent rounds if needed.
I campaigned against the ballot initiative for Ranked Choice Voting. The sad part is that I do not see anyone able to draft the incredibly complex legislation or initiative, and possessing with the chops needed to successfully repeal the original initiative. I suspect the supporters that advanced this system have saddled Alaska’s voters with it for years and years. And the second-choice candidates who get elected will be even less able to work together for Alaska’s future.
If conservatives don’t understand how rank choice voting works then we will lose not just this election but all elections. Like it or not this is the way we are going to have to vote, we best learn how the system works because those who voted this in obviously already know how to game the system
I don’t want my vote to be “fortified” or “reallocated” to support RINO candidates. How can I do this without helping the Democrats?
If anyone wants to personally experience the anti-police agenda and its effects, you can do this very easily. Just go to Seattle. Start at Pioneer Square, head downtown to the courthouse (infamous for horrific assaults), then down to Pike Place Market. If you survive this gauntlet, you’ll surely be enlightened. As a bonus, this can be done in broad daylight.
I’ve heard she changed her name from Elvi Marxist-Jackson
Her talent making her own clothes is admirable, which i am teaching myself — how to make my own clothes, since this town as gone democrat the store retail has gone blah. I much rather see Elvi be a small business owner teaching classes to teach Anchorage women how to sew their own clothes.
She is a false flag candidate, set-up by the Democrat Party, to intentionally steer votes away from Kelly T. and move them to the Democrat’s darling ……. Lisa Murkowski ……through rank choice voting. This is the Democrat’s newest “trick” in election politics. Don’t fall for it.
Another swamp creature attempting to gain power in the senate. I don’t think so. Last thing Alaska needs is more of this! PASS
EVERYONE(!), needs to read and then re-read the post above by Bruce Campbell. It’s the God Honest Truth of the terrible predicament we find ourselves in, as it relates to the flawed Ranked Choice Voting scheme.
The only other effective way to win this tactical battle is to utilize the FBI, to craft a bogus indictment and charges, just like it was done with Ted Stevens. Similarly, just like it was done with Donald Trump.
Well, maybe when she loses we won’t hear from her again?
Many Alaskans say that fully half of all problems in Alaska today was caused by women who choose to hyphenate their names. Could be. I suppose the other half was caused by Bill Walker.
So whose culture is she trying to appropriate with that hair?
Obviously part of the same cancerous growth of leftist thinking that is destroying the country. The new hairdo doesn’t change the radical agenda of these cookie cutter Marxists.
I’ve never heard of her but I know she would be better than The Princess. Anything would be.
So are you going to rank her above Lisa?
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