Walker says write-in bid for Alaska governor unlikely

While he refused to dismiss the option, he told The Associated Press he doesn't see it as a realistic alternative and isn't aggressively pursuing it.

Walker has until Oct. 28 to make a decision. Historians and election officials cannot recall an Alaska candidate who has mounted a successful write-in bid.

Walker had been mulling whether to re-enter the race since winning 33 percent of the vote in last month's primary, finishing behind Gov. Sean Parnell. That was the only option available to him outside a third-party candidacy.

While he said he seriously considered the possibility of running on the Alaskan Independence Party, AIP, or Libertarian tickets, neither party fully embraced him. The AIP's lack of interest in putting him on the ticket caused a rift that has resulted in one party leader vowing to change his affiliation to undeclared.

"I thought there was an opportunity for the AIP and the Walker campaign, and I thought it would be beneficial" for all involved, said J.R. Myers, who said he's leaving the party and resigning his position as a vice chairman over the issue.

Myers said he felt that the party's chairwoman, Lynette Clark, was against Walker becoming the nominee. Myers said others considered Walker a "carpetbagger" and believed putting him on the ticket would reinforce the perception that AIP is a "rent-a-party." In 1990, Republican Wally Hickel, a Walker mentor, ran on the party's ticket and won the governor's race.

Clark didn't immediately return a message Wednesday.

During the primary race, in which a natural gas pipeline was a major issue among the Republicans, Walker focused almost singularly on his plan to build an "all Alaska" line. He argued that such a proposal with an export option provided the best opportunity to get a long-hoped-for line built, provide a market for Alaska's North Slope gas and shore up Alaska's oil-dependent economy.

The Anchorage attorney invested about $300,000 of his own money into his candidacy.

Walker said the concerns he had about Alaska's future haven't changed and he's looking at how he can continue to give voice to those and advocate for change. He said there are thousands of like-minded Alaskans -- supporters, like those with whom he shared his decision via a conference call earlier Wednesday -- and he doesn't want to let them down.

The race currently is between Parnell, who is seeking to win outright the office he inherited when Sarah Palin resigned last year, and Democrat Ethan Berkowitz, a former lawmaker. Walker said he was reserving any endorsement "until I feel there is a genuine focus on issues that I think are important to the future of this state. And so far, I have not heard that or seen that."

Parnell has supported a market-based approach to bringing a gas line to fruition. Berkowitz has proposed a public-private partnership and for allowing Alaskans to invest in a project themselves.

Both were jockeying for Walker's support -- or that of his backers -- Wednesday.

Parnell campaign manager Michelle Toohey said in a statement that Walker supporters should know Parnell "understands their concerns and hopes to work with them to find solutions to our state's greatest challenges."

Berkowitz said he supports an all-Alaska line and "would love" to have Walker, whom he said he has known for a long time, lead his gas line negotiating team.

"I think when you have people of passion and skill, you have to include them," Berkowitz said.

"We're tired of waiting on promises that haven't been delivered. This is all about having a plan for Alaska's progress. ... This is about how to finance a line, take the permits you have and start turning dirt. There's only one guy left with a real plan for doing anything, and that's me."