The Valley Republican Women of Alaska minced no words on Thursday: “Primaries are coming.”
In writing about the Republicans who voted for and against the Democrats’ education funding bill that has passed the House and Senate, the VRWAK executive team was direct. They praised those who voted against House Bill 57, and gave those who supported it a dose of tough love.
Here’s what the women posted on their Facebook page early Thursday:
From the VRWAK Executive Team:
We want to start by thanking the legislators who stood their ground and voted NO on 57 today. Your courage to defend conservative principles and make the right choice for Alaskans did not go unnoticed.
But let’s be honest, the Valley Republican Women of Alaska are done playing nice with the career climbers and political chameleons who fold under pressure.
PICK A LANE: Are you fighting for conservative values, or just wearing red while selling out the base?
We don’t rally behind politicians slithering their way for approval from the middle…or worse, the left.
We campaign and work hard to raise funds for those who speak truth, stand firm, and FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT their way unapologetically to the Right.
And before the usual guilt trips roll in about “attacking our own,” let’s be clear: this is what accountability looks like.
True accountability doesn’t happen behind closed doors or whispered gently in your ear. It happens out loud, in public, with clarity and conviction. You are elected servants of the grassroots public. If we won’t hold our own to this standard, who will?
This is not about division, it’s about direction. We’re not here to babysit the status quo.
We’re here to take our state back.
Primaries are coming.
Only eight legislators in the House and three in the Senate voted against HB 57, which was the bill that became the Democrats’ funding mechanism for raising spending on schools. Originally, it was a bill only about cell phone use in schools, but it now appears that Rep. Zack Fields, the lead sponsor, always intended it to be the vehicle for a major increase to the Base Student Allocation. Fields is the former communication director for the Alaska Democratic Party and field coordinator for AFL-CIO.
The Republicans who voted with the Democrats appeared to be just “done with it,” worn out by the process and ready to move on, settling for what they thought was the best they could get, as the last day of session approaches.
But the Republican base around the state appears dissatisfied with the bill that spends $220 million or more per year on education, but with very little expected in return from school districts. Alaska ranks 6th in the United States for K-12 spending per pupil, with an expenditure of approximately $21,325 per student annually. Yet it is second from the bottom in terms of student competencies.
What’s more, Gov Mike Dunleavy, who has made education one of his top issues, has his own bill that adds annual spending for schools but has many policy improvements to help students and families, particularly those who want to start charter schools or who are studying via correspondence programs. The Democrats in charge of the House and Senate have not given Dunleavy’s bill a hearing in their highly partisan Game of Thrones.
Sponsors for the controversial HB 57, which may be vetoed by the governor, are all Democrats except for these Republicans: Sen. Rob Yundt, Sen. Mike Cronk. Sen. Bert Stedman, Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, Sen. Kelly Merrick, and Sen. Gary Stevens.
In the Senate, only Republican Sens. Mike Shower, Robert Myers, and Shelley Hughes voted against the Democrats’ bill.
In the House, the no votes were Reps. Jamie Allard, DeLena Johnson, Kevin McCabe, Mike Prax, George Rauscher, Rebecca Schwanke, Cathy Tilton, and Frank Tomaszewski, with David Nelson excused from the floor.
That means there were several legislators who voted for the bill and who have now raised the ire of Republican activists: Rep. Mia Costello, Julie Coulome, Bill Elam, Chuck Kopp, Elexie Moore, Justin Ruffridge, Dan Saddler, Will Stapp, Jubilee Underwood, and Sarah Vance.
Of those, Rep. Elexie Moore, Rep. Jubilee Underwood, and Sen. Rob Yundt — all first-term legislators — are in the Mat-Su Valley district and might lose the support of one of the major grassroots campaign groups in the region.
Here are our previous stories on the twisted path of HB 57, which now awaits the governor’s pen:
Completely agree with this group and applaud their comments. I am extremely disappointed in Sen. Jesse Bjorkman’s move to the democrat thinking and will not vote for him again.
Yundt AGAIN!
First trying to raise taxes on Hilcorp – and now this…
Well done and very well spoken!!! I live in Eagle River and I am so very impressed by your dedication to we Conservative women’s movement!!!
Time to start looking. Let see, increasing school funding when they are closing schools and the population of school age children in the State is going down? No sense to increase spending, no justification concerning present testing scores and tying funding to the scores. Improve the education standards of the current group of students, then expect increases as necessary. The present education system is like a spoiled child, I want, I want, but I don’t want to do any work necessary for the household. I am entitled because I am!
I totally agree with you. The whole education industry is very much like a spoiled child.
Oil before kids. Republican “Family Values.”
Do you really think funding failing schools is good for the kids? Think again.
Cheap, reliable and abundant energy is the best anti poverty program.
As far as “kids” those with wisdom understand that government schools do not educate, they indoctrinate. Government schools are toxic and dangerous places for children.
What are your “family values”? Oh you don’t have them because your ideology fixates on sexual perversion which does not lead to stable families or human thriving. We have already defeated you because of this. Demographically you can only poach others children and that thankfully is coming to an end. Enjoy your irrelevance as you grow old.
This from a group that supported members of the school board that signed off on the largest administrative wage increase in MSBSD history, whose president signed off on a contract for the Superintendent that gave him $20,000 a month and a $80,000 “performance incentive” and is now in Juneau. Again, do some research and report ALL the facts.
It is not mysterious why the RINOs defect. They are willing to sell out their constituents for personal gain. The payoff may be monetary or in-kind, but it is dishonest and disloyal.
Primary them out of existence.
YES!
This is due to hardcore demoncrats deliberately posing as repubs so they can infiltrate and take over. Why can’t anyone see this. Once they show their color, recall and get them out. Tired of the uniparty destroying Alaska.
YES!! I completely agree. Well done ladies and thank you so much for stepping out there. Bold truth!!! We need bullseye targets on these RINOs in the next election. Get them out!!!
This is the 2nd article that made me happy today that people have had enough and lying politicians need to be held accountable
I voted for Stephan Wright over Yundt. I hope he runs again. Better yet, he could run and win the house seat for 2 years, and then run against Yundt in 3 1/2 years for the Senate seat. . All 3 Freshman from the Valley really LIED to US. Their. Promises Not To RINO are only 6 months old. There is no excuse for what they have done.
Thank you Mike Shower, Shelly Hughes, and Robert Meyers. Your more than Legislators, YOUR TRUE PATRIOTS. We CAN TRUST YOU.
The ever clueless Valley Republican Women fail to realize that their beloved eight no-voters are currently in the minority because of how miserably they failed Alaskans when they were in the majority. Threatening anything, least of all a primary, is laughable if you’re so out of touch with what a majority of Alaska families and businesses clearly want.
Meanwhile, genuine traitors to the cause go unpunished. Why is it okay for Valley Rep. Moore to skip work a couple weeks ago on a day when her vote was needed to defend the PFD? Where are the priorities?
How come “bipartisanship” and “working together” never seem to mean moving even slightly to the right? Always just further left. Somehow….
Disappointed in Mia Costello. Were there threats from NEA AK? I wish the AKGOP would be as clear and bold as the VRWAK. They rock. After 30 years in AK this might be my last. Im done with loons on the left and weak knees on the right!
Great job VRWAK! The ADN and Channel 2 will bill those who who voted NO as taking money out of the classroom. The irresponsible spending by the legislature will catch up to us sooner than most people think. If they’re thinking at all. What needs to happen now is censure by the Alaska Republicans (hear that, Carmela). Next is to plaster the names and faces of the yes voters, especially the republicans who voted yes, so they can be called out and voted out during the next primary. The very fact that the NEA and AFT are getting more money without commitments to higher test scores is beyond me. When I get a raise or promotion at work in the private sector, I have to perform. Why is this not the case for teachers and their union?
What happened toCostello???first she turned on that Canada resolution, now this,too??
Totally Agree with the Republican Womens’ statement. SO frustrated with our legislature and especially the turncoat RINOs