Open Letter from Rep. Steve Thompson:
I appreciate the voters’ support in the Aug. 18 primary, and I’m proud to be the House District 2 Republican candidate in November’s General Election.
I’m already working with my Republican colleagues and over the next two months I will work tirelessly to win the seats we need for a strong Republican majority in the next legislative session.
If we hope to effectively promote our conservative values, then it is imperative that we work to form a solid majority by combining our strengths and setting aside petty issues. I anticipate that we’ll have the numbers for a Republican led House, but as we saw in the 31st legislature, we need more than just numbers.
We need a commitment from all elected Republicans to work together to create the strongest organization we possibly can. Otherwise, we will find ourselves sitting on the sidelines again. Allowing ourselves to fall into the minority is akin to falling on one’s sword unnecessarily; especially when we have the numbers to control the House.
I recognize that there are many competing interests and issues in the Republican party today. It isn’t always easy to work together, even when we start out with the same ideological framework. For the sake of our districts, our state and the citizens of Alaska, we must take the higher ground and agree to a platform and principles we can all live with. As in all things political, we must compromise.
I know the word “compromise” has negative connotations for some. While we may have to concede rigid positions on certain issues, we are not going to compromise our values. We can all agree on that, I’m sure.
I’ve had a number of conversations with Republican Party leadership, Republican candidates, current Republican legislators and other party members on our strategy moving forward.
We all understand the difficult task before us; the necessity to form a Republican Majority to run the House. We are a family and as with any family, we will face disagreements and disappointments. We cannot let this deter us.
Through the difficult process of forming an organization and setting a positive course for our state, we must insist that the obstacles we face do not tear us apart, but rather make us more focused and determined to do the right thing for our constituents and for Alaska.
I’m honored to have the support of the Republican party and I’m proud to represent my district. I will do everything in my power to ensure that our conservative values are the driving force when we get to Juneau in January.
Rep. Steve Thompson represents House District 2, Fairbanks.
I appreciate the sentiment, Steve, but after seeing you serve in a powerful legislative position with the Democrat-led Majority, and you recently supported a Dem candidate against a reputable Republican Legislator from Nikiski, I hope you can live up to what you state in this article.
Isn’t this the same guy that just co-sponsored a fund-raiser for Republican Representative Ben Carpenter?
Asking for a friend.
No, he co-sponsored a fund raiser for Ben Carpenter’s opponent.
Lesson #1 for the (soon to be) new representatives, know the facts before you make a comment – especially if it’s in writing! People want to have confidence that you know what you are talking about.
Yeah I cut and pasted and inadvertantly left of “for the opponent of” – so sorry to offend. And no way to edit these. Suzanne approves these before she posts them so I didn’t catch it in the moment.
In any case Thompson’s name was apparently used without his permission. He and Ben have kissed and made up….. but thank you for the lesson.
I know the list is very short on what things the Democrats have compromised on in the last decade. But compromise is what allowed us to get our founding documents that allowed us to have a country that has free speech and all the rest. One party seems to forget that if not for those early compromises, they couldn’t protest and speak ill of others as they are wont to do. The ole, “my way or the highway” is what we have seen. And once again, the Party of compromise is working toward progress, ANY progress. Steve, many of us stand behind you and your realistic view on how to accomplish something with those whose mantra is more of not giving an inch, especially if someone they are taught not to like promotes it. 60 year old teenagers, I am afraid!
Now you’re talking. I like this guy. Take back the house.
And I have a bridge for sale on the Kenai Peninsula.
Start with making the “binding caucus” ILLEGAL and have that in writing. It seems pretty obvious that that is what the majority of the people of Alaska want…well, at least, the ones that voted.
…and the fundraiser For the Democrat in Nikiski was??
Except when you don’t….https://mustreadalaska.com/surprise-gop-rep-thompson-hosts-democrat-fundraiser-to-take-out-nikiskis-ben-carpenter/
Steve,
Then why were you sitting with Democrats all last session? Do you think we’re stupid? Come on, man. This is MRAK.
I can no longer roll with Steve Thompson. He’s just just an aged politician, who’s word is no longer reliable. Says one thing. Does another. I might as well vote for a Democrat, and at least confront the enemy head on. He should have retired and spent more time with his 10-year old daughter and 40-year old wife, while he still has a few years.
Thompson needs to go back to peddling sparkplugs and gas additives.
Sounds like he’s angling for another leadership position. He’s signaling to the loyal republicans, give me a leadership position or I’ll caucus with the Dems again.
429 words that say what, exactly?
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With respect, “I stand with Republicans” means not a bloody thing. Either one is a Republican, a reflection of the GOP platform, or one is a Democrat, with everything it implies.
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Steve’s 429 words of worn-out, hackneyed campaign drivel, is stuff someone with epic contempt for constituents thinks constituents’ll gobble up because they so desperately need to hear or read such cra… in order to get happy and elect him.
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C’mon man! Get real, tell us in a few words what your buyers want, what’s gonna happen to productive Alaskans when you hit the Holy City of Juneau.
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No? Didn’t take 429 words to figure that out, did it?
I think he said: partisanship – bad; compromise with Democrats – good; I like Jell-O.
Better to be in the minority and have some principles than to caucus with the Democrats and let them have key committee chairmanships and the Speaker position. Steve was mayor of Fairbanks when I was mayor and I enjoyed working with him and thought he was a solid conservative leader. There is no way he can explain campaigning for a Democrat against a Republican incumbent. It makes his ‘open letter’ ring hollow. Very disappointing.
Mayor Dan,
Thompson is two-faced. Personally, I think that too many trips to the Elks taproom has obfuscated his thought process. Fairbanks needs a change in it’s representation, based on Thompson’s behavior. Simply put, loyal Republicans no longer trust the words, or promises, of Steve Thompson.
Steve Thompson:
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Except that I’m not voting for you again.
Thompson can actually still stand?
“I know the word “compromise” has negative connotations for some. While we may have to concede rigid positions on certain issues, we are not going to compromise our values. We can all agree on that, I’m sure.”
Really? Steve compromised 10 miles past the principal line of what real Republicans believe in, all for what?
When we win the majority, I do hope that the new Speaker (I’m hoping Cathy Tilton) will reward Steve only as a member of committees, not with a chairmanship.
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