Four enter race for governor

Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy (R), who ran on the platform supporting a full Permanent Fund Dividend and who has not fulfilled the campaign promise in three years, has filed with the Alaska Public Offices Commission a letter of intent to run for office again. Kevin Fimon filed the letter with APOC for Dunleavy’s campaign. The filing enables candidates to start fundraising for the 2022 campaign. Lt. Governor Kevin Meyer also filed to run again.

According to APOC filings, former Governor Bill Walker (Independent) also filed to run for a second bid to govern Alaska. He governed Alaska from 2014-2018 but dropped out of his 2018 reelection bid when Lt. Governor Byron Mallott resigned amid sexual harassment allegations.

Former Anchorage lawmaker Les Gara (D), just in Nome for a weekend of fishing and hiking, declared his candidacy on Friday. He said he has not run for statewide office before but wants to throw his hat in the ring to create good paying jobs and find a solution to the budget deficit. “Alaskans deserve better than a Governor who’s attacked our schools, damaged our University, and emptied $17 billion in state savings as a state senator and Governor. I want an Alaska people can believe in again, where we create good paying jobs and provide good job training instead of taking it away,” Gara said.

The fourth person to throw his hat in the ring is Libertarian Bill Toien of Anchorage.