Thursday evening, April 30, Candidate for Governor Shelley Hughes announced retired U.S. Air Force veteran Brigadier General Blake Gettys of Eagle River as her Lieutenant Governor running mate.
Brig. Gen. Blake Gettys is a longtime Alaska resident and former commander of the Alaska Air National Guard’s 176th Wing. Over the course of his military service, he has led complex, global deployments overseeing thousands of military personnel and multiple operational squadrons.
Hughes says Gettys is “a man of character and integrity,” who is ready to “carry out what will be an expanded Lt. Governor role as we work together to ensure Alaska remains not only a great place to live for this generation and the next, but an even greater one.”
In addition to his service and leadership in the Air Force, Gettys also earned a degree in civil engineering, competed as a Division I athlete, and piloted for Delta Airlines 747.
According to a press release, Hughes and Gettys will focus their campaign on “building a strong and diversified economy, ensuring government accountability, and unleashing opportunities so Alaskans can live affordable and rewarding lives.”
“I’ve spent my life serving something bigger than myself— first in uniform, and now as a member of the Alaska community I’ve come to call home,” said Gettys. “Alaska has given me so much, and I believe it’s time to give back in a new way. Shelley Hughes is a principled leader with a clear vision for our state, and I’m honored to join her in this effort.”
