SENATE SEAT E - THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM

Good Morning Governor and Senators,

First, let me thank you for your willingness to choose someone from our list of names. It is unfortunate that the media treated one of our choices with the same kind of distortions they do our President. I know Tom Braund personally. He told me of his personal issue (which he ended up withdrawing for) right after you picked him. You gave us hope when you picked Tom, Governor. Tom never thought you would.

It is very difficult for me to find the ‘right words’ to express to you how we feel about our Senate Seat E dilemma. Making us jump through more hoops really is not addressing the root of the issue, nor is it a real answer to the empty seat.

My concern right now is the concern of many - probably even most people in our districts and most likely the entire state. Of course many people want to be appointed. Of course none of them is perfect. What is important to us is that our wishes are respected. The further down the list of applicants you go when you choose someone, the less you are respecting us. That is a huge problem in our minds. It becomes an even larger problem when the media makes a circus out of the process or our choices.

You are ignoring our two best choices. The two who got the most votes from our combined districts. One is even a sitting legislator, and I can think of no legitimate reason to ignore him. None. The excuse given by someone in your office is lame, given Representative Rauscher’s reason for that ‘sign’ on his door. I know his personal story / reason why he put it there. I have a similar story in my life. Abuse is not acceptable. I am sure you can agree with that. Making his silent protest against abuse into a bad thing is equally unacceptable.

Someone also told me that you won’t pick Representative Rauscher, because that would leave his seat empty. I assure you, as his district chair, my district has already had that discussion and we are prepared to supply you with a replacement in the shortest time allowed by law and the rules. We welcome the opportunity to do such.

I do not know why you have rejected Todd Smoldon, so I cannot address any of your concerns regarding him.

So, if you truly respect us, you will choose from the only two who got a majority of support from our combined districts. Anything less does not truly respect us. We see that plainly. I sincerely hope you do too and will respect us. Alaska is watching to see what you do next.

Thank you for your thoughtfulness and speedy action on our empty seat.

cc: Tuckerman Babcock, ARP President
bcc: District 9 Committee, Representative George Rauscher, Representative David Eastman, Todd Smoldon, Suzanne Downing

Carol Carman
Chair, ARP District 9E

Gov Walker, emailto: darwin.peterson@alaska.gov

Senator.Click.Bishop@akleg.gov
Senator.John.Coghill@akleg.gov
Senator.Mia.Costello@akleg.gov
Senator.Cathy.Giessel@akleg.gov
Senator.Shelley.Hughes@akleg.gov
Senator.Pete.Kelly@akleg.gov
Senator.Anna.Mackinnon@akleg.gov
Senator.Kevin.Meyer@akleg.gov
Senator.Peter.Micciche@akleg.gov
Senator.Bert.Stedman@akleg.gov
Senator.Gary.Stevens@akleg.gov
Senator.Natasha.VonImhof@akleg.gov
Senator.David.Wilson@akleg.gov

Carol Carmen, Chair of District 9E, Alaska Republican Party

Carol Carmen, Chair of District 9E, Alaska Republican Party

Our Town

PRESS RELEASE from Valley Performing Arts - 

Drama directed by Wendy Golter

Described by playwright Edward Albee as “...the greatest American play ever written”, the Pulitzer Prize winning story follows the small town of Grover's Corners through the lives of two families. 

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