Republican Jeremy Bynum, who challenged Democrat-caucusing Rep. Dan Ortiz in 2022 is looking for a rematch in 2024.
Bynum, a member of the Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly, got 47.4% of the vote the first time he ran against Ortiz, who won with 52.6% in 2022.
Ortiz, a retired teacher, won his first term in 2014 election and has held off challengers ever since. He has been a loyal member of the House Democrat caucus, an ironic outcome for conservative Ketchikan, which voted 54.7% for Donald Trump for president in 2020.
But although Ortiz has incumbency and a history of winning five House races in a row, Bynum says he has given this a lot of thought, and he has one House race under his belt, as well as having won a seat on the Assembly.
“With much thought and consideration, I am excited to announce my decision to run once again for the Alaska State House. This decision comes with an overwhelming wave of support from community members, for which I am deeply grateful. I am eager to engage in meaningful conversations about our future. Running for District 1 is not just a campaign for me; it’s an opportunity to connect, discuss, and address the vital issues that impact us all. I am grateful for this chance to represent and serve in a different capacity, and I look forward to the journey ahead with optimism and determination,” Bynum said.
Make no mistake Ketchican. Ortiz is a far left democrat. He hates the PFD, venerates the NEA, and follows the woke agenda dictated by his caucus to a “t”. Ortiz is a big government guy. He believes there is nothing that the government cannot do better than the average citizen. Liberty to him is fiction. Bynum is the real deal. He is conservative and he cares about Alaska and Alaskans, not just the NEA and bureaucrats. Ketchican truly could shift the makeup of the house. Ortiz needs to go.
Good for him, I hope he wins.
I wonder if we are going to hear about how he should drop out because in Rank choice voting having a Republican run against an “Independent” will cause a Democrat to win?
Great guy. Solid opportunity for Ketchikan.
Ortiz has served us well. There is little reason to install an unknown, inexperienced representative.
So you voted against Mary?
The wonder of a representative “democracy” is people can challenge existing leadership.
Representative mob rule?
What specifically has Dan done for the whole community? The ferry system, one of his favorite points to harp on, is essentially in shambles. It doesn’t feel like private business is growing and developing in southeast Ak. All I see is more and more state, local and federal growth, growth of government that is subsidized by my taxes. The state of education is still in decline yet the costs grow every year. Our children, arguably one of our most valuable assets are not being educated well enough to pass the basic PEAKs assessment. Homeless people the bulk chronic inebriates, drug addicts and mentally I’ll. I see no positive change since Dan took office.
I never understood how Ortiz got elected in the last conservative bastion in Alaska.
Ketchikan do the right thing and vote for him.
Bynum will have a hard hoe to row.
While it is true Ketchikan “Was” a conservative village at one time not so long ago. The decrease in private investment and economy, the remaining solvent industry is the cruise ships. Unfortunately, cruise ships are “Entertainment” and entertainment equals “Good times”, singing and dancing,enjoying, not dirty hands, hard work. So said, Ketchikan has revolved into the epicenter of the ‘Arts’ mentality. Ortiz is a major character in that effort, playing both ends to the candle. As a independent he was a favorite in the Democrat caucus,majority, not so much in the Republican majority where the ability to play in both parties failed indicated by his lack of any major committee assignment in the past legislative sessions. In effect, a ‘back bencher’
The one major example is the ferry system which is in its days of demise. Our local ship yard appears from a distance, a ice cooler container holding a high number of BLUE appearing beer cans called the Alaska ferries in waiting. There are a number of reasons and no obvious solutions on the system failure, and I submit, the lack of leadership on the topic is front and center. The pompous Senator, a Republican, from Sitka is not doing any better in forging a solution. Emphasizing the depth and level of confusion within the failing ferry system.
So, yes, this poster will support Bynum, knowing little of his other than his straight forward attitude and apparent common sense which is alien to Representative Ortiz.
He can do no worst.
Cheers
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