www.AlaskaMiners.org 35 Legislature Candidates Guide communities' histories are deeply tied to the mining industry, though the latter is primarily a fishing town today, and was so when I went to high school there and worked in canneries and on the decks of seiners. My father was a fisheries biologist, and my mother was a special education teacher and then librarian, and while neither was involved much in politics directly, we watched the news every night and they raised my sister and me as engaged, voting citizens. I paid my own way through college, working as a wildland firefighter and stocking shelves at Fred Meyer, before winning scholarships to attend graduate school and law school back East. Since returning to Alaska, I've served both in the Alaska Army National Guard as a Judge Advocate and for nearly seven years on the Anchorage Assembly, before being elected to the State Senate. My priorities there, as in the Senate, were public safety, quality of life, economic development, and fiscal responsibility. I have also become more involved recently in efforts to build more housing in Anchorage and across the state, as the lack of attainable housing is both driving young families out of Alaska and putting a drag on our economy. In the Senate, I've been honored to serve on the Resources, Labor & Commerce, and Health committees, while chairing Community and Regional Affairs. If I am re-elected, I hope to again help form a bipartisan coalition that will focus on real solutions for Alaskans, rather than ideology or heated rhetoric. I was glad to get the chance to visit two large mining operations last year, as well as cosponsor a resolution in favor of rare earth exploration and development that passed the Senate. Mining is an important part of Alaska's current and future economy, and my door is always open to hear more from your members and the organizations that represent your industry, as we work together to build a state that future generations will call home. NOTE: Cheronda Smith did not submit a profile SENATE DISTRICT L, EAGLE RIVER NOTE: Jared Goecker did not submit a profile NOTE: Lee Hammermeister did not submit a profile NOTE: Kelly Merrick did not submit a profile SENATE DISTRICT N, WASILLA/MEADOW LAKES David Wilson I have represented the Mat-Su in the Alaska State Senate since 2017. Prior to serving in the Senate, I served as a Wasilla City Councilman. I’m married to a lifelong Alaskan who grew up on the Lower Yukon River. I am a principled, common-sensed, and liberty-oriented conservative. Some of my priorities include: Behavioral Health –We must rethink how we respond to behavioral health issues, coordinating with law enforcement and health care professionals to allocate resources effectively and provide quality care. Economic Development – A strong economy means a healthy future for Alaska and ensures our region remains competitive in economic development and job creation. I will continue to advocate for responsible investments in infrastructure and resource development. Education – As we look forward to the future for our state, we need to recognize that education must be a top priority in order to empower and equip our young people for the jobs of the future. It is imperative that we continue working to put students first in classroom funding. We must encourage our most successful schools to grow and expand and use their model to lift underperforming schools to greater success. Limited Government – I was raised to value hard work and personal responsibility. I understand that the government is not the solution to most problems and can sometimes even be the cause. I will support common sense reforms that reduce burdensome regulations and increase accountability and transparency. NOTE: Stephen Wright did not submit a profile NOTE: Robert Yundt did not submit a profile SENATE DISTRICT P, FAIRBANKS/FORT WAINWRIGHT Leslie Wien Hajdukovich I am a lifelong Fairbanksan and 5th generation Alaskan. I have been married to my wonderful husband Bob for 35 years and we have raised 3 boys in Fairbanks. My roots in Alaska go deep with my earliest ancestors coming to Alaska in the late 1800’s through Cordova for the gold rush. Those same relatives worked in the mines in Kennicott and ran a mercantile business in McCarthy, Alaska. My grandfather Noel Wien was a pioneer aviator, and my grandmother Ada Bering Wien was one of 6 women to serve on the Alaska State Constitutional Convention. I served 6 years on the Fairbanks North Star Borough Board of Education, 3 years as board president. I worked on the statewide ballot initiative Vote No on 1, which advocated for keeping SB 21 which kept oil taxes stable and Alaska open for business. I served for almost 5 years as Senator Dan Sullivan’s Fairbanks Regional Director in Fairbanks and worked on issues like the bed down of the F-35 squadron, veterans’ issues, and tracking areas of federal overreach which could harm Alaska. Alaska is truly at a crossroads. In so many areas, we need to get back to the basics and work to grow our economy. That’s why I’m so focused on lowering the cost of energy, unleashing Alaska’s resource development sector, standing strong against harmful federal policies, supporting our Fairbanks-based military and veterans, advocating for working families and advancing education. As a lifelong Republican and dedicated member of the community, I also believe in personal freedom, personal responsibility, and government that serves the people, particularly in areas of public safety, education, infrastructure and economic growth. I believe in a strong private sector and maximizing our potential as a resource development hub. I believe we must tackle high energy costs and record setting inflation hurting our community. And I believe in protecting the Alaska Permanent Fund for the long term, so sustainable PFDs can be paid for generations to come. I believe our brightest days are ahead and that change is needed for a stronger, more resilient Alaska. Scott Kawasaki Alaska has been blessed with an amazing abundance of natural resources. From renewable resources like our timber, seafood, and agriculture to our nonrenewable resources like oil, gas and minerals Alaska remains the top of the resource state Superbowl! But Alaska is also a very young state, far from the manufacturing base and has shortages of labor and a high cost for energy and there is much work to be done. I have real experience working through the challenging legislative and government process serving as both a member of the State House and now part of the bipartisan Majority in the Senate. During my entire time, I have served on the Natural Resources Committee to focus my attention on energy supply, transportation infrastructure, the important extraction industry, and the environment. When I was first elected, there were hundreds of permits up for review and not enough staff to clear them up in a timely manner. As a member of the Resource Committee, I worked to streamline workforce to get permits out in a timely manner. With a focus on budget and the creation of the new Office of Project Management and Planning, the list could be shortened, and developers could get to work faster. I will continue to support efficiency and efforts to improve our standing as the resource state we are and would appreciate your continued support. SENATE DISTRICT R, COPPER RIVER BASIN/DELTA/ TOK/YUKON DRAINAGE Mike Cronk As a lifelong Alaskan growing up in Northway and currently living in Tok, I was introduced to mining at a young age by sluicing and panning gold at Crow Creek outside of Anchorage and also on gold claims near the Matanuska Glacier. After moving to Northway, I experienced the real-life gold rush by mining at a friend's claims where the Chisana River Gold Rush took place. Mining on Chicken Creek and Eldorado and seeing the relics of the gold rush drove the passion for mining even more. Alaska has the potential to be a world leader in mining of minerals and resource development. Continuation of identifying, exploring, and development is the key to our future. Making sure we "ease" the red tape will be of the utmost importance. Fort Knox, Pogo, Red Dog, and Usibelli are great examples of responsible mining in Alaska! Mining and resource development is the backbone for the economy of Alaska and will continue to be so as we feed the world's need for minerals. It will not only create revenue but create thousands of high paying jobs as well as thousands of indirect jobs. It will provide the state with the opportunity to educate and prepare Alaskans for the workforce we need. As your current Representative in Juneau and future Senator, I will support the mining industry and will work with all entities to ensure that Alaska is a world leader in responsible mineral extraction that creates jobs and prosperity for all Alaskans. Savannah Fletcher I’m running for State Senate because the Interior deserves better results than what we’ve been getting. From serving as the presiding officer of the Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly, I know that inaction from the state has caused class sizes in our schools to grow to unworkable levels, and the cost has shifted to Borough taxpayers. From serving as an attorney for Tribes across the Interior, I know how the decline in salmon returns has devastated communities. And as the mom of an almost 2-yearold son, I’m determined to start getting more solutions to the problems we’re facing in the Interior. I’m going to prioritize good schools, good jobs, strong salmon returns, and lowering the cost of energy. Mining has a critical role to play in all of that. Mining jobs bring economic stability to families, and revenue for critical services across the region. The critical minerals found in Alaska soil have national significance. I am committed to working with legislators from all parties to get things done. I will show up, I will do my homework and make thoughtful decisions. The challenges we’re facing are too great to get distracted by partisan politics. NOTE: Bert Williams did not submit a profile
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