Gov. Mike Dunleavy, running for reelection this year, sent a rejection message to mainstream media outlets Anchorage Daily News and Alaska Beacon:
“After consideration, we are respectfully declining to complete candidate surveys submitted by the @AlaskaBeacon & the @adndotcom, but here’s why,” Dunleavy wrote on Twitter.
“While the questionnaires are helpful to the public for relatively unknown candidates, myself, Bill Walker, & Les Gara have lengthy public records that every member of the media can reference in their coverage of the ’22 elections. At the same time, we recognize the importance of providing access to reporters covering this race. We have offered interviews to reporters from the Beacon and the ADN in lieu of responses to their respective surveys. Members of the media who wish to schedule an interview with our team may submit their requests at [email protected],” Dunleavy said.
Presumably, this means the Dunleavy campaign will not be filling out the questionnaires by other news organizations. Every election season, candidates are inundated with questionnaires from special interest groups, the media, and other groups. The surveys drain an extraordinary amount of time and resources, taking the candidates’ time away from meeting with potential voters. The usefulness of these surveys is questionable. Like debates, the results of the surveys reach a limited number of people, many of whom are already in the “decided” category.
Running against the governor are former Gov. Bill Walker, who has an extensive list of priors, Rep. Les Gara, who has a long history of vocal stances and legislative votes. Kenai Borough Mayor Charlie Pierce and Rep. Chris Kurka round out the list of top candidates out of the 10 running this year.
Evidence of a spine growing
It’s so very problematic when the candidate running for re-election faces the same questions they so gladly answered in their first run, after four years of doing something totally different.
Not that he didn’t try. But as most people in Alaska know, he was hampered by a highly uncooperative legislature ( including you ) , a COVID crisis ( difficult to prepare for in advance) global shortages and a few other unexpected crisis . All in all , I would say he did pretty good for a first term governor.
He should have held his ground and made the legislatures show by votes where they stand on stealing the PFD. Vetos are there for a reason and he caved in from the left. Quit on the first tiff with the left no fight.
Legislative voting games need to stop. Every vote taken allows the legislators to vote, see the tally board, and then are asked if anyone wants to change his vote. That is total BS! They need to stand by their vote, as voted!! No changes after the vote. This one small change would cut the phony shenanigan’s they play and clean up the entire process.
Like saying your for a full PFD check, and then voting against it. That is what you did this spring David Eastman. The effect of that vote cost every Alaskan about $2000–born and unborn.
Representative Eastman,
Would you care to explain why you voted against reconciliation and providing all Alaskans a full PFD and then you voted for more government spending and cutting the PFD to all Alaskans? Would you care to explain why you continually and repeatedly vote against conservative values and for leftist and big government causes? Would you care to explain why you are trying to convince conservatives that their vote is meaningless?
It’s very sad that a representative would deliberately misrepresent the facts repeatedly. Representative Eastman, you should be ashamed of yourself.
Dude, you lost the ability to criticize anyone with your grandstanding last session.
I noticed the first thing you did was protect your sweet, sweet per diem. You didn’t even bother to vote against it on principle. But you sure as hell took money out of our pockets. Money we are legally owed.
And boy were you proud of yourself for that. You strutted like a stripper on stage. I got mine, and yours too.
To borrow a line, you “Sir”, are a skid mark on the underpants of Alaska. A hypocrite and a fraud. A classic example of everything wrong with politics.
Do us all a favor. Go play in traffic.
Okay, fair enough, those media questionnaire things are programmed to create a bias. But for goodness sake, could the Guv wear something besides that Kuspuk / Nehru cross over jacket thingy?
It’s called “copper river fleece.” Queen Lisa wears them too.
There’s nothing wrong with his wardrobe. Legislators all over the state — from murkowski to edgmon — wear them. In the governor’s case, if you would review his history, you would find out that he spent many years in a village and became immersed in the culture as well as married an Alaska native. If that’s all you can do is pick the Man apart about what shirt he put on or whatever that’s pretty lame.
Greg, hey pal having spent years and years in rural and Northwest Alaska I can tell you that I’ve yet to see one of those crossover Nehru / Kuspuks being worn by anyone.
It’s an invented garment for Urban people who want to appear to be hip and cool with indigenous culture.
BTW the most commonly worn jacket one sees in the ” bush” is a brand worn by snowmachine enthusiasts. Go figure.
Robert: The frequent wearing of fleece garments is overdone. Our elected officials need not wear business attire all the time, but the constant casual look is stale and not particularly serious. And, we have some serious issues and problems up here that need to be taken seriously.
What the gov’s fleece garb reflects is anyone’s guess. My belief is the governor would come off in a superior fashion when he does things like declining to participate in media questionnaires and other peculiar procedural matters if he looked a bit more serious.
Joe, exactly. It’s not that the clothes make the man , but the man in an office should dress in clothing appropriate to the office he represents.
I agree. Government shouldn’t be wasting time on answering surveys and polls by news organizations.
Get back to reporting the right way.
Get your nose to the ground and follow. That’s their job to do and get paid for. Taxayers shouldn’t be paying for government to answer polls of news media.
Is there a reason everyone is overlooking the one candidate in the race that isn’t bought or corrupted?
Is it a foregone conclusion to only accept three candidates in the race
* Dunleavy –> bought, signed off on PFD theft
* Walker –> bought, signed off on PFD theft
* Gara –> bought by Unions, will continue PFD theft
Buddy I’m with you on this.
Mike has seen the light. Heckled into it but a conscience came to life in front of us all. Fight for me Mikey I am voting for you governor. Support big mike.
He is a liar just like the rest of the Juneau crowd. He has no backbone.
Blah! Blah! Blah! Dunleavy has an excuse for everything. He is already in a black hole and disliked. So, if he can’t improve with a few answers, so be it! Good bye, Dunleavy! Hello Charlie Pierce!!! The two Republican candidates recognized and sponsored by the Alaska Republican Party for Republican Governor for Alaska!
Hmmm, is he just trying to cut out the less-famous candidates from being compared to him?
That was my first thought. Keep Pierce out of the running. Might backfire if the other two fill out the questionnaire and we get to see the results in a grid.
Smart move, Big Mike. Everything you say can and will be used against you. Make THEM struggle. You got my vote.
I second that motion!!!!
I give credit we’re credit is due! I think I need too pull out my Cordova vest!
Why bother answering questions stating where he stands when he will just cave in to the special interests and liberal media again? He promised to restore the PFD and cut spending. How’d that work out? How in God’s name is Anne Zink still working in his administration? He left Anchorage out to dry while our leftist assembly and mayor trampled on our rights. He wasn’t there to have my back.
Between all of the emergencies he has had to handle, and also dealing with a legislature that was rated by “The Hill” as the worst in the country, let him spend his time meeting people instead of doing endless surveys. And remember, he still has his day/night job -actually being the governor– to do just about each and every day. I actually counted 3 1/2 days off for the entire month of June, according to his public calendar. So his time is at a premium at best. By the way, I can recommend the Mike Shower speech that was recorded and is accessible on U Tube regarding the constitution. He changed my mind on it, and might change yours. The Alaska Watchman had a url to it, and probably Suzanne does, too, since it is her channel. By the way, those Cold River Fleeces are Big Mike’s trademark, possibly because of his nearly 20 years in the Arctic. I like them; they make him stand out.
I’m guessing Ben Stevens told him not to. The man is incapable of independent thought.
I do not blame him, I would not even respond, ADN one sided rag, I even stopped using it to line the dog kennel, I wish you well Mike,. We must not allow China Walker to get in again, that SOB stole our PFD.
Gov. Dunleavy is right. The questionnaires in question are highly slanted. I filled out one of them, pitched the other.
In my case where I’m in remote Southwest Alaska, running for Senate, being able to reach out, is a problematic proposition. Most every media has a hard left lean, be it the local papers in Unalaska and Dillingham , owned by the Anchorage Daily News group, or ALL of the Public Radio Stations.
For me if it wasn’t an issue of reaching out to the remote corners of this district, I would pitched these in the garage can where they belonged.
Good move! More candidates and public figures need to cut off 99% of the Legacy media which has devolved into a role of “influencers” rather than legitimate news sources. Only the feeble-minded pay attention to them anymore.
Bill Walker wants to get in “business” with China and that is disastrous for our country. China is invading our country from within and they do not have good intentions. They are buying up key farmland by the millions of acres next to our military bases. Why? Hmm. They are buying propaganda machines like Disney and other Hollywood companies trying to put their murderous regime and country in a good light. The Chinese government runs all their Chinese corporations. So getting in “business” with Chinese corporations/companies IS actually getting enslaved by China. They have already taken over smaller countries’ air bases all over the world with their unscrupulous contracts with those countries. Bill Walker is ”CHINA BILL” Walker. China Bill is not only very bad for Alaska, China Bill would be very bad for the safety of our entire country if he gets back in office. Check out this website for more info on the danger China is to our country-
‘https://www.chinaownsus.com/
Dunleavy does the same thing….fish processors owned and operated by Trident Seafoods, processed and shipped from Bristol Bay to maybe Seattle…..or China. New packing and processors along the coastline up north and owned by China that Dunleavy helped get settled in contract to natives. Corporations? Right in Anchorage the Captain Cook is predominately owned by Trident, which is owned by China. You see, Dunleavy is a Democrat in a Republican Coat. Walker is just more open about what he does. Dunleavy has done very little for the benefit of the state and that is a fact and does a good job of hiding what he knows the public should not know if he is to have a job. He definitely is short term in work history. This one will be the same. Get out and vote for someone that knows how to work, keeps a whole borough working and keeping jobs during covid and doesn’t miss a beat in managing the whole Kenai borough. Vote for Pierce for governor and know you will have a better state in all industries.
China owns Trident? I’m sure they send a lot of fish to China for processing, but I don’t think China owns Trident.
Good choice, so much fake news its best just to stay away from those outfits as they will twist and turn things anyway. For those who don’t like Dunleavy, would you prefer a Gavin Newsome or Jay Inslee? Go to LA or Seattle to satisfy your curiosity.
Our governor Never had a chance will the party goers in Juneau, too much time spent beer bong time and not telling the truth to us, Wonder how their families feel when they are found out to be lying to the public to get elected….YOU ALL KNOW WH YOU ARE, And we know who you are also, so how do you explain to your family why you lied?
No, yer awesome.
I think we should be more concerned with his running mate than him! I have heard a number of disturbing things about his running mate. Remember the disaster of the current lt gov!
Although I can understand his hesitancy in answering the fake news questionnaires, I think there is value in answering them from reputable sources like the Alaskan Watchman who ask the tougher politically non-correct questions people want to know.
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