Former Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan on Friday endorsed Nick Begich for Congress. He joins over 75 other conservative elected and former-elected leaders around the state, including current Mayor Dave Bronson, and a host of other conservatives that include Mayor Rodney Dial of Ketchikan to all three mayors of the Fairbanks-North Pole communities. The election ends Nov. 8.
“I have closely watched the campaigns for Congress and have decided to support Nick Begich. Alaska only has one Representative in Congress. It’s a tough job and it requires a lot of hard work. Nick has clearly shown that he has the energy and the determination to be a strong advocate for Alaska’s issues in Washington. I urge my fellow Alaskans to join me and vote Nick Begich for Congress. And even if Nick is not your first choice, don’t forget to ‘Rank the Red’ so we can fight the destructive Biden agenda,” Sullivan said in his statement of endorsement.
Sullivan doesn’t hand out endorsements often. It is a coveted endorsement for any candidate and it comes from a man who took on Nick Begich’s liberal uncle, Mark Begich when Sullivan ran for mayor and had to undo the fiscal damage that the Mark Begich budget had left the city. He knows more about the liberal side of the Begich family than most, which is what makes this endorsement especially notable. Sullivan was also the running mate with former Gov. Sean Parnell in 2014 and is a well-known fiscal conservative from family of civic leaders.
The list of other conservative Alaska leaders supporting Nick Begich keeps growing, including Anchorage City Manager Amy Demboski, Wasilla Mayor Glenda Ledford, Fairbanks Mayor-elect David Pruhs, former Juneau Mayor Ken Koelsch, Fairbanks North Star Mayor Bryce Ward, Fairbanks Mayor Jim Matherly, Nenana Mayor Josh Verhagen, Cordova Mayor Clay Koplin, former Kenai Borough Mayor Charlie Pierce, North Pole Mayor Mike Welch, Petersburg Mayor Mark Jensen, Palmer Deputy Mayor Pamela Melin, Kachemak Mayor Bill Overway, and former Fairbanks Mayor Rhonda Boyles.
Other elected conservatives who have endorsed Begich include Eagle River Assemblywoman Jamie Allard, Anchorage Assemblyman Randy Sulte, former Eagle River Assembly member Crystal Kennedy, and former Assembly member Dan Kendall.
Republican state senators who have endorsed Begich are Sens. Shelley Hughes, Mia Costello, Roger Holland, Robert Myers, Mike Shower, former Alaska Sen. President Pete Kelly, along with former Senators Ralph Seekins, John Coghill, and Bill Stoltze.
Conservative Alaska House members who have endorsed Begich lead off with House Minority Leader Cathy Tilton, along with Sarah Vance, George Rauscher, Mike Cronk, Mike Prax, Kevin McCabe, Tom McKay, Ken McCarty, Ron Gillham, Steve Thompson, Ben Carpenter, former House Majority Leader Charisse Millette, former state House member Dick Randolph, former House Speaker Mike Chenault, and former House member Lynn Gattis.
Other local elected leaders endorsing Begich include: Mat-Su Borough Assembly members Jesse Sumner, Dee McKee, and Rob Yount, Kenai Councilwoman Teea Winger, Kenai Borough Assembly members Bill Elam and Richard Derkevorkian, former Mat-Su Borough Assemblyman George McKee, Mat-Su School Board members Tom Bergey and Jubilee Underwood, Fairbanks North Star Borough School Board member Matthew Sampson, Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly member Jimi Cash, and Ketchikan City Council member Jai Mahtani.
Then there are many organizations that have endorsed Begich: The Alaska Republican Party, Associated Builders and Contractors of Alaska, Alaska Outdoor Council, Anchorage Young Republicans, Mat-Su Young Republicans, Kenai Peninsula Republican Women of Alaska, Republican Women of Fairbanks, Mat-Su Republican Women’s Club, Valley Republican Women’s of Alaska, several Republican districts, Americans for Prosperity Action, Freedom Works for America.
The Nov. 8 election will decide who will represent Alaska in Congress for the next two years.
