Alaska
Mike Dunleavy is 1st Alaska governor reelected since ’98
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Alaska Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy has received reelection, changing into the primary governor within the state since 1998 to win back-to-back phrases.
Dunleavy obtained over 50% of the vote after ultimate tallies have been launched Wednesday, and the race didn’t go to ranked selection voting.
Dunleavy stated he was “relieved that it’s over and behind us and now we are able to concentrate on the following 4 years.”
He attributed the victory to efficient communication he says he had with Alaska residents, a apply that began with the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We advised the individuals of Alaska on the primary press convention we had on that virus that we have been going to speak constantly, continually, and we have been going to be clear in every little thing we reported to the individuals, and that grew to become the norm,” Dunleavy stated in a telephone interview after the win.
“I feel that strengthened the connection between myself and the individuals of Alaska,” he stated.
Dunleavy, who throughout his first time period confronted a recall effort, overcame challenges within the Nov. 8 election from former Gov. Invoice Walker, an unbiased; Democrat Les Gara, a former state lawmaker; and Republican Charlie Pierce, a former borough mayor who rejected calls to droop his marketing campaign after he was sued in October by a girl who stated he sexually harassed her.
Gara and his operating mate, Jessica Cook dinner, congratulated Dunleavy and Lt. Gov.-elect Nancy Dahlstrom.
“Each of us want Mike and Nancy power as they tackle daunting issues that face all of us, from struggling colleges that affect pupil alternative to silent however damaging crises, together with the shortage of reasonably priced and accessible childcare, reasonably priced housing, and a vastly insufficient psychological well being workforce that’s wanted by kids and adults dwelling in disaster,” he stated in an announcement.
Dunleavy saved a low profile in the course of the marketing campaign, with Walker and Gara lamenting his resolution to seem in only a handful of debates.
Dunleavy’s first time period was marked early on by tensions with lawmakers in each events and by a recall effort fueled by public anger over vetoes and finances cuts he had proposed. Recall backers deserted their push final yr, with the governor’s race looming.
Dunleavy touted as important the dividend paid to residents this yr from Alaska’s oil-wealth fund, which mixed with a one-time vitality aid fee of $662 totaled $3,284 per individual. He stated the cash would supply aid to Alaskans amid excessive inflation and vitality prices. Final yr’s dividend was $1,114. There’s a yearly utility course of and residency necessities to qualify for a dividend.
Walker stated he thought the payout, accredited by lawmakers earlier this yr amid a spike in oil costs, benefited Dunleavy’s candidacy.
“It’s arduous to argue with cash being despatched out,” he stated in an interview after the election.
The quantity out there for dividends for years was decided by a formulation. However Walker, whereas governor in 2016 and dealing with deficits, lower the quantity of funds out there for checks. The dimensions since has been set by lawmakers, who’ve been utilizing earnings from the oil-wealth fund, lengthy used to pay dividends, to additionally assist pay for presidency bills and limiting what will be withdrawn annually from earnings.
Dunleavy for years pushed unsuccessfully for a dividend according to the previous formulation. He later proposed dividing the annual withdrawal from earnings 50/50 between dividends and authorities bills. This yr’s dividend was according to that method.
Two public curiosity teams in September filed a criticism with the company that enforces Alaska marketing campaign finance guidelines, alleging improper coordination between Dunleavy’s marketing campaign and a third-party group that supported Dunleavy’s reelection. The marketing campaign denied any coordination. An investigation report was anticipated someday after the election.
This yr’s state elections have been the primary since a divided federal appeals court docket panel final yr struck down sure contribution limits, together with limits on what a person can provide to candidates.
Gara was particularly important of the choice and blamed the Dunleavy administration for not difficult the ruling. He stated on social media that he would “be there to work on a voter initiative to place limits again on Alaska marketing campaign donations, so your voices should not handled much less importantly than the voices of out of doors donors.”
Dunleavy ran on a ticket with Dahlstrom, a former state lawmaker who led the state corrections division throughout a lot of Dunleavy’s first time period. The lieutenant governor, amongst different tasks, oversees elections in Alaska.
Dunleavy’s new time period begins the primary Monday in December.
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Related Press author Mark Thiessen in Anchorage, Alaska, contributed to this report.