Gov. Mike Dunleavy filed with the state on Aug. 13 to run for reelection. He was first elected governor of Alaska in 2018 and his current term ends on Dec. 5, 2022.
During his first two and a half years Dunleavy has faced a litany of challenges, including a State Legislature that has been intent on thwarting his ability to deliver on a campaign promise to pay out a full PFD to all eligible Alaskans. Dunleavy has also attempted to make substantial cuts the state budget, but has received enormous pushback from both the Legislature and his political opponents.
On the federal level he is dealing with a Biden Administration intent on locking up Alaska’s timber and oil and gas industry.
Social conservatives have also been disappointed with the governor’s decision to abide by Alaska Supreme Court opinions stating that he must underwrite elective abortions through the state-funded portion of Medicaid, even though the Legislature has explicitly withheld money for these procedures.
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Most recently Dunleavy has come under fire for settling out of court and agreeing to use public funds to pay for transgender surgeries, even for minors. Initially his administration fought this in federal court, but ultimately dropped the case.
With regard to COVID, the governor was tasked with dealing with an unknown virus just two years into his administration. He has received praise for largely refusing to mandate masks, vaccines or government shutdowns on the state level. Instead, he left those decisions to local communities. Many conservatives, however, claim he should have done more to apply political pressure on cities, such as Anchorage, to ease crippling shutdowns on businesses and churches.
In addition to social and fiscal challenges, Dunleavy also faces an ongoing effort from left-leaning activists to remove him through a statewide recall effort.
Before becoming governor, Dunleavy served as a state senator from Wasilla. Elected to the Senate in 2012, after defeating Linda Menard, he stepped down in 2018 to run for governor.
The next primary election will be held on August 16, 2022. The general election occurs on Nov. 8, 2022.
7 Comments
He promised get ready off the abuse of children and Foster homes and he support the abusers giving them more money I’m giving more power to the office child services is a liar
Umm… good luck with that Mikey.
You lied when you said you’d stand tall.
A host of challenges is apt. Namely, a host of Democrat and Republican voters who are pretty unhappy with him.
With so many in his own party disenfranchised, and electorate so evenly split, it’s hard to see how he can prevail at the polls.
Re-imagining the Governor as a consistent conservative such as Mike Shower is heartening, but probably not realistic.
Why is it so hard to dislodge counterproductive RHINOS?
Who’s the worst of the two maybe three evils running.
Scary though
Last four years I think Governor Dunleavy demonstrated very well being candid and politically astute enough to balance out between Ideals he started out to change Alaska’s democratic trajectory course agianst the corrupt reality working amidst corrupt colleagues within government and private; as well as an illiterate public who have trouble staying the course walking a straight line.
I am very feeling very Thankful what were Governor Dunleavy’s choices that maintained balance and order between State and individual community responses to Covid19 fears.
The only way you’re getting re-elected, Dunleavy, is if you start taking a very hard DeSantis approach to the sheer idiocracy infesting our state.
As Texas is going through a primary process, regardless of the outcome, it forces the current gov to be a conservative (or at least pretend to). Where’s the primary challenge to this guy? Nothing lights a fire under a politician than having to defend his actions.
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