Dunleavy picks Alaska Corrections commissioner as running mate – Alaska Public Media

Gov. Mike Dunleavy has introduced his operating mate: Alaska Division of Corrections Commissioner Nancy Dahlstrom.

Dunleavy mentioned Dahlstrom’s government and legislative expertise makes her properly suited to take over the state’s high job at a second’s discover, if she needed to.

“You by no means know. You may journey down a flight of stairs. You may choke on a bit of steak,” the governor mentioned. “You need to ask your self: Does the individual have the demeanor, the expertise, to have the ability to step in in a task like that? Nancy does.”

Dahlstrom introduced her resignation as the pinnacle of the Corrections Division Monday afternoon, minutes earlier than the marketing campaign announcement got here.

If Alaska voters re-elect Dunleavy in November, Dahlstrom would grow to be lieutenant governor and the pinnacle of the Division of Elections.

Dahlstrom, who lives in Eagle River, had an uncommon begin in state politics. She ran for state Home in 2002 as a conservative challenger to the incumbent Home member, Lisa Murkowski. Dahlstrom misplaced within the Republican main. However that fall, Frank Murkowski was elected governor. He chosen his daughter, Lisa, to fill the rest of his time period within the U.S. Senate. That left a emptiness within the state Home, and Gov. Murkowski selected Dahlstrom.

She resigned from the Legislature in 2010, saying she would take a brand new place as army advisor to then-Gov. Sean Parnell, however she quickly stepped down after questions arose about whether or not the appointment was authorized. The state Structure bars legislators from taking state jobs created whereas they had been in workplace. 

She grew to become head of the state Corrections Division in 2018.

The present lieutenant governor, Kevin Meyer, introduced in December that he wouldn’t search one other time period.

Different groups operating for governor and lieutenant governor embrace:

• Democrat Les Gara and Jessica Cook dinner

• Republican Christopher Kurka and Paul Hueper

• Republican Charlie Pierce and Edie Grunwald

• Nonpartisan Invoice Walker and Heidi Drygas

The competition, like all state elections now, will probably be an open main adopted by ranked alternative voting within the basic. The candidates for governor and lieutenant governor run as a crew within the August main, and the highest 4 groups advance to the November poll. June 1 is the submitting deadline for the first.

Dunleavy’s workplace introduced Monday that Jen Winkelman, a longtime Corrections worker, will function performing commissioner.