Mayor Dave Bronson files for reelection

By
Suzanne Downing
-
16

Dave Bronson, mayor of Anchorage, and First Lady Deb Bronson were at the City Clerk’s office at midday on Tuesday to officially file for reelection.

Candidates must file officially with the city as well as with the regulatory Alaska Public Office Commission, a step Bronson had completed a year ago.

Unlike the fanfare of competitor Suzanne LaFrance, who filed last week with a cadre of comrades holding campaign signs, the Bronsons were just there for the formality, not for the press attention.

And, as is the case with Anchorage’s local media, there was little attention paid to the Bronsons as they completed the forms for candidacy. Instead, the Anchorage Daily News had stories about Democrat candidates Suzanne LaFrance and Chris Tuck.

Bronson, a fiscal, pro-business conservative, faces a host of other candidates, but he is the only one among them who has won a citywide race. The Democrats are backing LaFrance and Tuck, who are polling second and third in a recent union-sponsored poll. Bill Popp, formerly head of the economic development agency for Anchorage, is also said to be in the top four.

Bronson has been battered by the Democrats on the Assembly and in the media and liberal blogs. But he did overcome a well-known candidate, Forrest Dunbar, who outspent him three years ago, only to lose in the runoff. In a city that has become more liberal in recent years, that was considered an accomplishment for someone who had never run for office before, while his opponent Dunbar had served on the Assembly and had once run for Congress against Congressman Don Young.

This election will probably also see a runoff, due to the number of candidates who have filed. Anchorage, by decree of the Assembly, only votes by mail and ballots will go out about March 13 from the printing facility in Washington state. The ballots must be turned into drop boxes or be postmarked by April 2.

Paper chase: Chris Tuck is first in the door to file for mayor

Runoff ballots would be mailed Runoff Ballot Packages mailed to Qualified Anchorage Voters on May 6, with ballots due back or postmarked by May 14. The Anchorage Assembly will certify the runoff results on May 31.

Candidates have until Friday to file for mayor, for the one Assembly seat representing Chugiak-Eagle River, for School Board seats, or for a number of road service area board of supervisor seats. More information is at this city link.

After filing, Bronson went back to work and prepared for the 5 pm Anchorage Assembly meeting, where he issued a veto of expanded subpoena powers the Assembly had granted itself, raising a red flag about the weaponization of subpoena authority. The Assembly overrode the veto, 9-3, a classic demonstration of the difficulty this Assembly has posed for the mayor, who came into office on July 1, 2021.

LaFrance files for mayor, but it doesn’t quite go as planned

16 COMMENTS

  1. Why? Lose a bet?

    Why would any sane person sign up for a second helping of abuse like this?
    Especially when Emperor Meg is waiting to be adored. Or else.

  4. Hats off to you Mayor Bronson. I think you know what you are up against and what you have to do. Anchorage, support your current mayor and not the demon-infested Anchorage Assembly that wants dictatorial rule over you who they believe are plebs.

  5. Seems decent enough. Clearly any good he’s tried to do or could have done has be stopped cold by the “progressive, socialist, communist, Marxist, LGBT” activists on the assembly. We should do a swap with the berkley assembly in California, they are probably not as far left as the anchorage assembly. And that’s not a joke.

  8. The fake mayor during COVID and the assembly colluded to defraud Anchorage out of millions of dollars under an incredible expansion of the homeless industrial complex in Anchorage, which enriched a few, including assembly members but did net ZERO to solve the homeless problem. Additionally, the assembly continues to move commercial properties into TAX EXEMPT status by buying them with OUR money and giving them to “non profit” organizations which are run by their RICO partners. There are definite legal violations of RICO laws by the assembly and others.

  9. So we should fall for the Bronson junk again where he tells us how property owners are going to get a break. No thanks. Been there done that and have the 2024 tax assessment to show for it along with poor road service and poor city services. Nope. Not voting again for him. Oh wait, it’s all the assembly’s fault that his assessors dept jacked up property values in the middle of huge interest rates. Yep. Great mayor. Dysfunctional at best but talks a good game out of both sides of his mouth.

    • Your assembly just voted to give itself expanded subpoena powers, over Bronson’s veto, the destroyed the homeless services center/shelter @ MLK Blvd., they’ve agreed to rejuvenate hotels for their friends once the indigent are done trashing them this winter, back-side Berkowitz’s union deals bought about a force reduction in equipment and pay at the transportation department(snow removal), and somehow it’s all Bronson’s doing. When a soccer team looses a game why are you blaming the goalie? Where are the fullbacks, halfbacks, and offensive frontline on your scorecard. Bronson has punched tirelessly against Anchorge politburo with some success. He’s got my enthusiastic support. Oh, and so does Israel and Texas. 🇺🇸🇮🇱

  10. Can’t help but wonder why our ballots are printed in Washington state. Seems like there are plenty of options here in Anchorage……

Comments are closed.