Senate President Cathy Giessel today appointed Johne Binkley to serve on the Alaska Redistricting Board.
“I am pleased to announce that John Binkley has agreed to serve on the Redistricting Board,” she said. “John loves Alaska and Alaskans. He brings a wealth of statewide experience to the table and, most importantly for me, John is an excellent listener. Alaskans will have many concerns about redistricting, and they deserve to have their voices heard. I am confident that John is committed to a fair process and will listen well.”
Binkley was a state senator and representative, and has run for governor in the past, losing the primary to Sarah Palin. He is a successful Fairbanks businessman who also bailed out the bankrupt Anchorage Daily News, buying for the Binkley Company. His son Ryan runs the newspaper.
Binkley is involved in tourism from Ketchikan to Fairbanks. He is a riverboat pilot, a helicopter and fixed-wing pilot, hockey coach, and has lived in rural Alaska. He is a household name in Alaska tourism and politics.
He joins Bethany Marcum and E. Budd Simpson, the governor’s picks for the board that redraws the political boundaries after the 2020 Census. Giessel is in a tough primary race against Roger Holland. On Tuesday evening, Sen. Shelley Hughes said she was leaving the Republican caucus because of Giessel’s leadership.
Next to choose a member to the Redistricting Board is House Speaker Bryce Edgmon, who has a signed agreement that his choice must be approved by the majority of the Committee on Committees. He is on record saying he prefers to name an Alaska Native to the board.
Here’s the skinny on this pick. I’ve been told that Binkley was Giessel’s next door neighbor when they grew up together in Fairbanks. Same age, same high school class. Both are control-type individuals. Both RINOs. But the real aim of Mr. Binkley is to retain high profile and go after Lisa Murkowski’s senate seat in 2022.
No big loss. Lisa is a rino, so just trading rino for rino.
No way Binkley wins any primary where actual conservatives can vote. The skinny is, the voters know the deal with him-which is why he didn’t run against Dunleavy for the primary; he knew he would get Treadwelled.
This is just establishment RINOs hooking up establishment RINOs plain and simple.
Maybe Sarah Palin will make a comeback and we’ll have a three-way race for US Senate. Murkowski, Binkley, and Palin in the Republican Primary. History may repeat itself from 2006. lol…..
ADN: “Giessel said she had been “looking for someone who of course is a Republican but is very fair-minded.”
“Republican but” is pretty revealing of her perspective.
That’s what I though… republican “but” . .. so she must think that republicans aren’t usually fair minded? I guess she wouldn’t know because she isn’t one. Her way or the highway Cathy – about as unfair minded as you can get. RINO
This is a strategic move focused exclusively on eliminating criticism in ADN of Giessel’s underhanded ‘you must all vote as I direct’ approach.
Johne?
He changed the spelling of his name back to “John.” Silent “e” didn’t get the votes against Lisa’s old man, Frank. And no where near Sarah Palin.
Sen. Geissel…always out of step. Binkley is more Democrat than Republican….poor choice.
Agreed. Binkley couldn’t win an election anywhere but Bethel where he sucked up to the Natives while loading his own boat with money. Giessel is just trying to save her own a$$ against Roger, praying the ADN will come to her rescue because Binkley owns the ADN. ANYBODY can see through this charade.
So is Cathy.
I can’t WAIT to vote against Giessel. I don’t care if they ran Al Capone, I’d vote for him.
At least he kept his word.
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