Alaska Legislature

Two Republican state House members, Saddler and Reinbold, to fight for same Senate seat in Eagle River

Two Republicans who represent Eagle River in the Alaska House will run for the same state Senate seat in the August primary election.

Dan Saddler and Lora Reinbold both say they're running for the Senate seat left empty by Republican Anna MacKinnon, also of Eagle River. MacKinnon is not seeking re-election.

Reinbold was first elected to the House in 2012, while Saddler was first elected in 2010. Both registered their Senate campaigns Thursday with the state Division of Elections.

A Democrat, Oliver Schiess, has also registered, though the district has traditionally elected GOP lawmakers.

Saddler and Reinbold, while both Republicans, have taken different approaches in their House careers.

Reinbold is closer to the GOP's tea party faction; she's waged personal campaigns against the Common Core education standards and Senate Bill 91, the 2016 criminal justice overhaul.

Saddler is closer to the GOP's establishment wing. His signature bill this year, which passed earlier this month, was a proposal to allow Alaskans to carry their fishing and hunting licenses in electronic form, rather than solely in paper form.

Nathaniel Herz

Anchorage-based independent journalist Nathaniel Herz has been a reporter in Alaska for nearly a decade, with stints at the Anchorage Daily News and Alaska Public Media. Read his newsletter, Northern Journal, at natherz.substack.com

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