Anchorage Daily News -- Politics

House Democrats pick proven shepherds

(Anchorage Daily News) — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 00:38:31 AKST

Not much has changed with House Democrats either, except that there are fewer of them. Rep. Beth Kerttula of Juneau will once again be Democratic leader, the caucus announced. Rep.

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Voters line up to cast ballots early in Anchorage

ldemer@adn.com (LISA DEMER) — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 18:42:12 AKST

Voters turned out by the hundreds in Anchorage on Sunday to cast their ballots in advance of Tuesday's election.

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On the ballot: Is it time to change Alaska's constitution?

khopkins@adn.com (KYLE HOPKINS) — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 14:15:30 AKDT

A proposal on Tuesday's statewide ballot would launch a new constitutional convention, opening the blueprint for Alaska government to a slew of potential changes.

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Republican Senate candidates lag in fundraising in key races

rmauer@adn.com (RICHARD MAUER) — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 20:09:10 AKDT

Democrats and an independent hold an edge in contributions in most contested Alaska Senate races.

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No need to wait: Early voting is an option this weekend

khopkins@adn.com (KYLE HOPKINS) — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 20:49:18 AKDT

There's still time to be an early bird. Elections offices in five Alaska cities are opening their doors to early voters this weekend. Meantime, early numbers hint that far fewer…

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Alaska voters to decide on $453 million in transportation bonds on Nov. 6

rshinohara@adn.com (ROSEMARY SHINOHARA) — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 19:56:36 AKDT

Alaskans going to the polls Nov. 6 will be asked whether they want to let the state go into debt for another $453.5 million in capital projects.

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"Running" and congressional debate to be broadcast Monday night

Anchorage Daily News () — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 18:49:58 AKDT

KAKM's "Running" program kicks off Monday night on both television and radio. Tune in to KAKM Channel 7 or radio station KSKA FM 91.1. Audio of all debates will be…

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Republican says French and union coordinated their commercials

rmauer@adn.com (RICHARD MAUER) — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 20:47:11 AKDT

The complaint cites professional service providers as its sole evidence. French says the attack is a "last-minute" smear in an effort to help is Republican opponent.

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Alaska’s Don Young now endorsing Lingle

Associated Press () — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 14:31:52 AKDT

Rep. Young supported a Democrat in the primary, now switches to support the Republican…

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Sunday is the deadline to register to vote in November election

Anchorage (Anchorage Daily News / adn.com) — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 09:15:28 AKDT

Sunday is deadline for Alaskans to register to vote in the Nov. 6 general election. You can register online, and regional offices of the state Division of Elections will be…

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Senate candidate's firm received more than $1 million from BP

Anchorage Daily News (RICHARD MAUER) — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 23:21:28 AKDT

After initially declining to disclose the clients and the fees they paid to his engineering firm, state Senate candidate Bob Bell on Wednesday released a list showing that oil giant…

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Democrat Begich lukewarm in support of Obama

Associated Press (MARK THIESSEN) — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 17:48:50 AKDT

Alaska's Democratic U.S. senator stopped short of endorsing President Barack Obama on Wednesday, while the Republican members of the state's congressional delegation whole-heartedly endorsed their party's nominee, Mitt Romney.

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Sanford elected mayor in Juneau; Hopkins re-elected in Fairbanks borough

Associated Press () — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 12:23:00 AKDT

Juneau voters picked former Assemblyman Merrill Sanford to replace Bruce Botelho, who was prohibited by term limits from running again. In the Fairbanks North Star Borough, incumbent Mayor Luke Hopkins…

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Corruption scandal figure will get off probation early

Anchorage Daily News (RICHARD MAUER) — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 06:02:14 AKDT

Former state Rep. Tom Anderson should be released early from probation because he has completed a substance abuse program and "is no longer in need of supervision," the U.S. probation…

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Romney shifted on energy as presidential politics beckoned

The New York Times (SHERYL GAY STOLBERG) — Sun, 30 Sep 2012 14:52:30 AKDT

Mitt Romney is more apt today to talk about his support for oil drilling than about the environmental policies that he advocated while governor of Massachusetts…

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Democratic senators call for a halt to offshore Arctic leasing

Anchorage Daily News (SEAN COCKERHAM) — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 16:47:24 AKDT

A group of Democratic senators is calling for the Interior Department to halt Alaska offshore drilling leases, saying the president hasn't made the case that drilling in the region is…

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Many in GOP make about-face on forced budget cuts

McClatchy Newspapers (JAMES ROSEN) — Sun, 23 Sep 2012 17:22:10 AKDT

Republican congressional leaders are backing away from a trigger system of forced spending cuts that they hailed 13 months ago as a herald of fiscal discipline and for which GOP…

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State senators note absence of vouchers for heating fuel

Associated Press () — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 18:31:42 AKDT

Two Democratic state senators from Fairbanks held a press conference Monday to tell Alaskans what will not be attached to their Alaska Permanent Fund checks this year -- a voucher…

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Death of wife prompts Roses to suspend campaign activities

Anchorage Daily News (RICHARD MAUER) — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 11:11:09 AKDT

Anchorage Senate candidate Bob Roses said Wednesday he was suspending his campaign through Sunday because of the death of his wife, Beverly.

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Judge's ruling, $5,000 payment to Miller end costly lawsuit

Associated Press () — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 21:15:06 AKDT

A Superior Court judge has issued a final judgment in the Joe Miller lawsuit stemming from the 2010 U.S. Senate campaign in Alaska, bringing an end to the case.

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APOC says Senate candidate failed to disclose clients

Anchorage Daily News (RICHARD MAUER) — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 21:04:58 AKDT

The Alaska Public Offices Commission staff said Senate candidate Bob Bell improperly failed to disclose the list of clients of his engineering firm in a filing in May but recommended…

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Senate panel looks at rising fuel costs

Associated Press () — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 21:24:24 AKDT

With winter on its way in Alaska's Interior, members of the Senate Energy Working Group met in Fairbanks to discuss the issue of rising heating costs.

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Ad blitz to target Senate Democrats

Anchorage Daily News (RICHARD MAUER) — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 11:40:36 AKDT

Don't expect the current lull in political messaging to last long. With billions of dollars in oil taxes at stake and a handful of state Senate seats controlling the outcome,

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Presidential candidates begin brawl in 10 battleground states

McClatchy Newspapers (DAVID LIGHTMAN) — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 15:26:59 AKDT

Get ready for an all-out brawl in 10 too-close-to-call battleground states as President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney begin a two-month sprint to Election Day. They will deluge those states…

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Obama asks for time to finish repairs to economy

McClatchy Newspapers (LESLEY CLARK AND ANITA KUMAR) — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 20:17:55 AKDT

President Barack Obama on Thursday asked for more time from voters, acknowledging that despite his goals of hope and change, the economy is going to take years to recover, but…

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Biden touts Obama's successes, accepts nomination for VP

Associated Press (PHILIP ELLIOTT) — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 20:18:10 AKDT

Speaking candidly about his front-row seat to Obama's presidency, Joe Biden used his speech at the Democratic National Convention to paint his friend as a gutsy leader who helped the…

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Bill Clinton tells the nation it still needs Obama in charge

McClatchy Newspapers (ANITA KUMAR AND LESLEY CLARK) — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 21:44:45 AKDT

Barack Obama shared center stage at the Democratic National Convention Wednesday night with Bill Clinton, an enormously popular predecessor who told an overflow crowd that he had no doubt that…

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Updated election results show Measure 1 with slim victory

Associated Press (BECKY BOHRER) — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 11:17:30 AKDT

Updated results from last week's Alaska primary election show a ballot measure concerning property taxes passing by a slim margin. Just 284 votes separated the two sides in voting for…

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Cissna reports loan to campaign against Young for US House

Associated Press () — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 13:31:17 AKDT

U.S. House candidate Sharon Cissna reports having about $1,075 on hand as she challenges Rep. Don Young. Young, who has held Alaska's lone U.S. House seat since 1973, holds a…

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As fact-checkers howl, both sides push ahead and trample on truth

The New York Times (MICHAEL COOPER) — Sun, 02 Sep 2012 07:59:17 AKDT

Every four years there are lies in campaigns, and at times a blurry line between acceptable political argument and outright sophistry. But recent events have raised new questions about whether…

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As election nears, where's the hope?

McClatchy Newspapers (STEVEN THOMMA) — Sun, 02 Sep 2012 15:11:39 AKDT

At the political fringes, Americans have felt cast adrift by the powerful and taken to the streets in anger - the tea party from the right, the occupy movement from…

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Romney accepts Republican nomination

McClatchy Newspapers (DAVID LIGHTMAN) — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 22:58:13 AKDT

Mitt Romney on Thursday kicked off the final, crucial phase of his bid to become the country's 45th president, accepting the Republican nomination and urging the nation to look closely…

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Alaska DOT commissioner submits resignation letter

Anchorage Daily News (KYLE HOPKINS) — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 23:12:13 AKDT

Commissioner Marc Luiken, who has led the state Department of Transportation and Public Facilities for more than a year, plans to leave the job on Oct. 1. He offered no…

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Alaska election focus shifts to November

Associated Press (BECKY BOHRER) — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 07:21:51 AKDT

With the primary in the books, and at least two incumbent state senators defeated, the election focus shifted Wednesday to November and the fight for control of the Alaska Senate.

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GOP incumbents ousted in fight over Senate bipartisanship

Anchorage Daily News (RICHARD MAUER) — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 21:55:06 AKDT

Two Republican Senate incumbents -- Linda Menard in Mat-Su and Tom Wagoner on the Kenai Peninsula -- lost to candidates who challenged their membership in the bipartisan coalition that has…

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Property tax measure trailing

Anchorage Daily News / adn.com () — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 07:53:08 AKDT

A slim majority of voters were saying no to Ballot Measure 1, an initiative dealing with local property taxes.

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Cissna will challenge Young for U.S. House

Associated Press (MARK THIESSEN) — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 08:03:24 AKDT

Sharon Cissna, a state House Democrat from Anchorage, will try to unseat U.S. Rep. Don Young in the November election.

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Alaska voters reject coastal zone measure

Anchorage Daily News (LISA DEMER and KYLE HOPKINS) — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 07:45:53 AKDT

A $1.5 million effort against a ballot measure to resurrect a coastal management program in Alaska paid off. With more than 80 percent of the vote counted in Tuesday's election,

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Murkowski ends 'energy tour'

Anchorage Daily News (LISA DEMER) — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 22:36:53 AKDT

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, on Monday wrapped up an "energy tour" of Alaska with Democratic colleague Ron Wyden of Oregon that included a renewable energy fair, a geothermal plant at…

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Primary election sends Alaskans to the polls

Anchorage Daily News (ROSEMARY SHINOHARA) — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 18:16:57 AKDT

Alaska voters go to the polls today to decide on two ballot propositions and nominate legislative and U.S. House candidates for the November general election. Most of the debate has…

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All eyes on Isaac as GOP convention approaches

Associated Press (CALVIN WOODWARD and DONNA CASSATA) — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 06:18:45 AKDT

Mitt Romney's Republican National Convention sputters to life Monday with the lonely banging of a gavel in a mostly empty hall, then hits full speed on Tuesday, just as forecasters…

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5 Dems seek party nod for US House race

Associated Press (BECKY BOHRER) — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 23:32:13 AKDT

Five Democrats are vying for their party's nomination for U.S. House -- and the outside chance to be the first Democrat representing Alaska in that chamber since 1973.

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Mat-Su primary pits tough rivals

Anchorage Daily News (RICHARD MAUER) — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 16:33:43 AKDT

One of the most hotly contested primary races this year has been unfolding in the Mat-Su Valley, pitting one-term incumbent Sen. Linda Menard against a Tea Party-backed insurgent, Mike Dunleavy.

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Polling places changing for many Anchorage voters

Anchorage Daily News (ROSEMARY SHINOHARA) — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 21:56:30 AKDT

Voters: You should have gotten a voter identification card in the mail attached to a piece of paper that tells your polling place.

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Republican National Convention holds biggest test for Ryan

McClatchy Newspapers (DAVID LIGHTMAN) — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 22:58:01 AKDT

The lack of any bounce in the polls from Mitt Romney's selection of Rep. Paul Ryan as his running mate is raising the stakes for both at next week's Republican…

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Debate is scheduled for House candidates

Anchorage Daily News () — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 22:06:15 AKDT

Host Michael Carey tonight moderates a discussion/debate with the candidates running for U.S. representative in the Alaska Primary Election on Aug. 28.

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Parnell concerned by fed's welfare waivers

Associated Press () — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 21:16:01 AKDT

Gov. Sean Parnell has asked U.S. Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to reconsider a plan to let states seek major changes in how they meet federal welfare-to-work requirements.

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Get your tambourines; primary election is a jingle-plosion!

comment (JULIA O'MALLEY) — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 17:05:46 AKDT

Some elections, candidates smear each other, sling mud and float innuendo. But this year, as days tick away before the Aug. 28 primary, the race for seats in the Alaska…

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Coastal initiative opposition group still holds money edge

Associated Press (BECKY BOHRER) — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 19:45:04 AKDT

The group opposing a ballot measure that would re-establish a coastal management program in Alaska raised more than $683,800 in three weeks, a majority of that from big oil companies,

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Murkowski urges Akin to get out of Senate race

Anchorage Daily News (LISA DEMER) — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 23:14:59 AKDT

The denunciation of U.S. Rep. Todd Akin over his explosive assertion that a woman's body could prevent pregnancy from "legitimate rape" is stretching all the way to Alaska. On Tuesday,

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Alaska sues feds to block provisions of voting rights law

Associated Press (BECKY BOHRER) — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 22:51:13 AKDT

Alaska is suing to block enforcement of provisions of the federal Voting Rights Act that require it to submit redistricting plans or proposed election changes to the U.S. Justice Department…

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APOC complaints filed over coastal zone initiative ads

Associated Press () — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 23:26:48 AKDT

The fight over Ballot Measure 2 has gotten messy, with each side accusing the other of campaign advertising violations.

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'Vote No on 2' ads fixed after complaint to APOC

Associated Press () — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 16:44:27 AKDT

The Alaska Public Offices Commission has refused to consider a complaint over campaign ads against the group "Vote No on 2" on an expedited basis.

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Study finds huge gulfs in political parties

The Washington Post (DAN BALZ AND JON COHEN) — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 10:46:32 AKDT

American politics has long been defined as Red vs. Blue, and everything about the 2012 election speaks to the chasm that separates the two parties. But a major new study…

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'Running' discussions airing Monday on KSKA

Anchorage Daily News () — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 22:54:01 AKDT

"Running," a program featuring Southcentral candidates running for the Legislature in the Alaska Primary Election on Aug. 28, will air Monday on KAKM Channel 7 and KSKA FM 91.1.

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Proposition 2: Politicians, towns split on coastal management

Anchorage Daily News (LISA DEMER) — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 16:07:17 AKDT

A loud campaign over a ballot measure to provide management of coastal projects in Alaska has attracted two former governors on opposite sides -- and big money from industry trying…

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Primary sets stage for fall elections to control state Senate

Associated Press (BECKY BOHRER) — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 06:19:53 AKDT

The Aug. 28 primary is the warm-up for the main political event in Alaska this year: fall elections that will help decide control of the state Senate.

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'Running' to feature legislative match-ups in primary elections

() — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 17:58:52 AKDT

"Running," a program featuring Southcentral candidates running for the Legislature in the Alaska Primary Election on Aug. 28, will air Monday-Thursday on KAKM Channel 7 and KSKA FM 1.1.

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A look at some of the contested legislative primary races

Associated Press () — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 16:41:40 AKDT

A look at select legislative races appearing on the Aug. 28 primary ballot.

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Choice of Ryan reflects rise of young conservatives

The Dallas Morning News (TODD J. GILLMAN) — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 00:39:08 AKDT

At 42, Paul Ryan will be the first nominee for vice president born after the Baby Boom, but he is hardly the only rising conservative star who hasn't yet gone…

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