JUNEAU — Republican former Home Speaker Louise Stutes has joined the largely Democratic minority caucus after being rebuffed by the GOP-led majority.
The Home organized on the third day of the legislative session with a 23-member majority that included 19 Republicans, plus two independents and two Democrats from the Bush Caucus. The minority had 15 members, together with 12 Democrats and three independents.
Stutes and Wasilla Republican Rep. David Eastman weren’t in both caucus. She stated on the time that she was “taking it a day at a time, to see how issues play out.”
Stutes served as Home speaker for the earlier Legislature. She first joined the bipartisan majority coalition in 2016, which then ruled within the state Home for the subsequent six years throughout three successive legislatures.
In latest days, Stutes had sought to hitch the present Republican-led majority caucus. She was rebuffed.
Anchorage Republican Rep. Craig Johnson stated Stutes was advised Wednesday that almost all was massive sufficient as is. Committee and management positions had already been determined, he stated.
Home minority members met Wednesday night to formally invite Stutes to hitch their ranks as whip. As a member of the minority’s management workforce, Stutes shall be entitled to extra employees than if she had served within the Home alone.
Stutes stated in a ready assertion that she was happy to hitch the minority coalition, which is united behind rising college funding, not overdrawing the Everlasting Fund and paying a sustainable dividend. Stutes will proceed serving on the Home Transportation and Fisheries committees.
“I’m trying ahead to persevering with our work collectively for Alaska’s future,” she stated.
Eastman, who not too long ago prevailed in a authorized problem over whether or not his membership within the far-right Oath Keepers ought to hold him from serving within the Legislature, is seen as troublesome to work with by some lawmakers. He has not been invited to hitch both caucus, and is barely entitled to at least one legislative aide.