The Alaska Watchman sent a list of hard-hitting questions to all candidates running for local office in Fairbanks, including borough mayor, assembly, school board and city council. Our intent is to give voters a clear sense of who the socially and fiscally conservative candidates are, especially in regard to some of the most hot-button and contentious issues facing our culture.
Not every candidate chose to respond to our survey. Based on the responses of those who did provide answers, we believe each of these candidates adhere to strong, conservative principles.
The Fairbanks borough and municipal elections are scheduled for Oct. 5. Click here for more election information.
BRYCE WARD (Running for Borough Mayor)
Q: Do you support COVID vaccines or mask mandates?
A: No
Q: Do you support community-oversight boards for local police?
A: Yes
Q: Do you support legal abortion or are you pro-life?
A: Pro life
Q: Do you support stronger voter ID protocols for absentee voters?
A: No
Q: Do you support universal mail-in voting, like what Anchorage and Juneau currently have?
A: No
Q: Do you support ranked-choice voting?
A: No
Q: How would you describe your political belief system: Conservative, progressive or moderate?
A: Conservative
Q: Name a contemporary political figure and BRIEFLY explain why you admire them.
A: Dr. Ben Carson, for his faith and approach to life’s challenges.
Q: Do you support gender identity and expression laws to help regulate religious organizations and private businesses?
A: No
Q: Do you believe we need tighter gun regulations?
A: No
Q: Do you believe global climate change is a threat to humanity?
A: No, however, I do believe we have been poor stewards of the planet and can do much better.
Q: What church or religious group are you affiliated with, if any?
A: Non-denominational Christian
Q: Do you believe the main-stream media is biased against conservative viewpoints?
A: I believe the media is biased against all ideas that do not conform to its world view.
Q: Do you support increasing the minimum wage?
A: Yes
Q: Do you support school vouchers which allow parents to send their children to whichever schools they choose, whether that be public, private or religious?
A: No
Q: Do you believe human life begins at conception and should be legally protected?
A: Absolutely yes
Q: Do you support a full statutory PFD payment to Alaskans?
A: No
Q: Do you believe systemic racism has undermined many of our educational, cultural and governmental institutions?
A: No
Q: Do you believe bathrooms, showers or locker rooms should be restricted to members of the same biological sex regardless of how someone may sexually identify?
A: Yes
CHRIS LUDTKE (Running for Borough Mayor)
Q: Do you support COVID vaccines or mask mandates?
A: No
Q: Do you support community-oversight boards for local police?
A: No
Q: Do you support legal abortion or are you pro-life?
A: Pro-life. This is a state’s rights issue, keep the feds out of it.
Q: Do you support stronger voter ID protocols for absentee voters?
A: Yes, but from what I’ve read Alaska already has a very strong system in place
Q: Do you support universal mail-in voting, like what Anchorage and Juneau currently have?
A: No
Q: Do you support ranked-choice voting?
A: No
Q: How would you describe your political belief system: Conservative, progressive or moderate?
A: Libertarian
Q: Name a contemporary political figure and BRIEFLY explain why you admire them.
A: Ron Paul. He truly believes in freedom in all aspects of life and will not compromise on his principles.
Q: Do you support gender identity and expression laws to help regulate religious organizations and private businesses?
A: No
Q: Do you believe we need tighter gun regulations?
A: No
Q: Do you believe global climate change is a threat to humanity?
A: No
Q: What church or religious group are you affiliated with, if any?
A: None
Q: Do you believe the main-stream media is biased against conservative viewpoints?
A: Yes, they actively look for ways to silence others before even having the debate.
Q: Do you support increasing the minimum wage?
A: No
Q: Do you support school vouchers which allow parents to send their children to whichever schools they choose, whether that be public, private or religious?
A: Yes
Q: Do you believe human life begins at conception and should be legally protected?
A: Yes
Q: Do you support a full statutory PFD payment to Alaskans?
A: Yes
Q: Do you believe systemic racism has undermined many of our educational, cultural and governmental institutions?
A: No
Q: Do you believe bathrooms, showers or locker rooms should be restricted to members of the same biological sex regardless of how someone may sexually identify?
A: Depends. This is a private property issue. Property owners can make any rules they want. If someone doesn’t like the bathroom rules at a store, they can shop somewhere else. On taxpayer funded property I definitely support a rule that says members of the same biological sex must use their designated bathrooms/locker rooms.
LANCE ROBERTS (Running for Fairbanks Assembly Seat G)
Q: Do you support COVID vaccines or mask mandates?
A: No, I support the God-given right of the individual to make their own medical decisions.
Q: Do you support community-oversight boards for local police?
A: No.
Q: Do you support legal abortion or are you pro-life?
A: No, I am pro-life with no exceptions.
Q: Do you support stronger voter ID protocols for absentee voters?
A: Yes.
Q: Do you support universal mail-in voting, like what Anchorage and Juneau currently have?
A: No. I did in the past, but we have seen too many practical problems with that.
Q: Do you support ranked-choice voting?
A: No.
Q: How would you describe your political belief system: Conservative, progressive or moderate?
A: Conservative.
Q: Name a contemporary political figure and BRIEFLY explain why you admire them.
A: DeSantis. He is willing to do what is right.
Q: Do you support gender identity and expression laws to help regulate religious organizations and private businesses?
A: No, giving one group special rights removes others general rights.
Q: Do you believe we need tighter gun regulations?
A: No.
Q: Do you believe global climate change is a threat to humanity?
A: No.
Q: What church or religious group are you affiliated with, if any?
A: Christian.
Q: Do you believe the main-stream media is biased against conservative viewpoints?
A: Yes.
Q: Do you support increasing the minimum wage?
A: No.
Q: Do you support school vouchers which allow parents to send their children to whichever schools they choose, whether that be public, private or religious?
A: Yes.
Q: Do you believe human life begins at conception and should be legally protected?
A: Yes.
Q: Do you support a full statutory PFD payment to Alaskans?
A: Yes.
Q: Do you believe systemic racism has undermined many of our educational, cultural and governmental institutions?
A: No, the religion of critical race theory has undermined many of those institutions.
Q: Do you believe bathrooms, showers or locker rooms should be restricted to members of the same biological sex regardless of how someone may sexually identify?
A: Yes.
PATRICIA SILVA (Running for Fairbanks Assembly Seat F)
Q: Do you support COVID vaccines or mask mandates?
A: No. My body, my choice. Vaccine and mask mandates are unconstitutional.
Q: Do you support community-oversight boards for local police?
A: No.
Q: Do you support legal abortion or are you pro-life?
A: No. Life of a child begins at conception.
Q: Do you support stronger voter ID protocols for absentee voters?
A: Yes
Q: Do you support universal mail-in voting, like what Anchorage and Juneau currently have?
A: Not since the 2020 election. We need to get our system fixed in order to be certain of election integrity.
Q: Do you support ranked-choice voting?
A: No
Q: How would you describe your political belief system: Conservative, progressive or moderate?
A: Conservative
Q: Name a contemporary political figure and BRIEFLY explain why you admire them.
A: DeSantis. He is a man of integrity, he recognizes individual rights, he has set an example of putting America first.
Q: Do you support gender identity and expression laws to help regulate religious organizations and private businesses?
A: No. Either way would be taking away the rights of one group or the other. Personal identity is a choice, and it comes with its own set of advantages and disadvantages.
Q: Do you believe we need tighter gun regulations?
A: No, it’s no business of the government.
Q: Do you believe global climate change is a threat to humanity?
A: No
Q: What church or religious group are you affiliated with, if any?
A: John 3:16
Q: Do you believe the main-stream media is biased against conservative viewpoints?
A: Yes
Q: Do you support increasing the minimum wage?
A: No
Q: Do you support school vouchers which allow parents to send their children to whichever schools they choose, whether that be public, private or religious?
A: Yes
Q: Do you believe human life begins at conception and should be legally protected?
A: Yes
Q: Do you support a full statutory PFD payment to Alaskans?
A: Yes
Q: Do you believe systemic racism has undermined many of our educational, cultural and governmental institutions?
A: No, however, CRT has played a huge role in our institutions as it is designed to divide our population. It focuses on the Black vs. White paradigm. It also moves to include other racial groups such as Latino vs Asian.
Q: Do you believe bathrooms, showers or locker rooms should be restricted to members of the same biological sex regardless of how someone may sexually identify?
A: Yes, otherwise you are opening doors of opportunities for predators to invade those gender-private spaces.
ANDREW GRAHAM (Running for Fairbanks School Board Seat A)
Q: Do you support COVID vaccines or mask mandates?
A: I do not support mandating vaccines or masks.
Q: Do you support community-oversight boards for local police?
A: No
Q: Do you support legal abortion or are you pro-life?
A: I’m pro-life from conception to natural death.
Q: Do you support stronger voter ID protocols for absentee voters?
A: Yes
Q: Do you support universal mail-in voting, like what Anchorage and Juneau currently have?
A: No
Q: Do you support ranked-choice voting?
A: No
Q: How would you describe your political belief system: Conservative, progressive or moderate?
A: Conservative
Q: Name a contemporary political figure and BRIEFLY explain why you admire them.
A: Patrick Buchanan. He believed that for conservatives to succeed, we need to put average hard-working Americans first over all other special interests across the spectrum of business, politics, and culture.
Q: Do you support gender identity and expression laws to help regulate religious organizations and private businesses?
A: No
Q: Do you believe we need tighter gun regulations?
A: No
Q: Do you believe global climate change is a threat to humanity?
A: No, and even if it is a threat, we have no way to meaningfully correct it without crippling our economy.
Q: What church or religious group are you affiliated with, if any?
A: Protestant Christian
Q: Do you believe the main-stream media is biased against conservative viewpoints?
A: Yes
Q: Do you support increasing the minimum wage?
A: No
Q: Do you support school vouchers which allow parents to send their children to whichever schools they choose, whether that be public, private or religious?
A: Yes
Q: Do you believe human life begins at conception and should be legally protected?
A: Yes
Q: Do you support a full statutory PFD payment to Alaskans?
A: Yes
Q: Do you believe systemic racism has undermined many of our educational, cultural and governmental institutions?
A: No
Q: Do you believe bathrooms, showers or locker rooms should be restricted to members of the same biological sex regardless of how someone may sexually identify?
A: Yes
SALLY GANT (Running for Fairbanks School Board Seat A)
Q: Do you support COVID vaccines or mask mandates?
A: No
Q: Do you support community-oversight boards for local police?
A: No
Q: Do you support legal abortion or are you pro-life?
A: Yes
Q: Do you support stronger voter ID protocols for absentee voters?
A: I am more worried about mail-in ballots.
Q: Do you support universal mail-in voting, like what Anchorage and Juneau currently have?
A: No
Q: Do you support ranked-choice voting?
A: No answer provided.
Q: How would you describe your political belief system: Conservative, progressive or moderate?
A: Common Sense – not politically correct
Q: Name a contemporary political figure and BRIEFLY explain why you admire them.
A: Trump
Q: Do you support gender identity and expression laws to help regulate religious organizations and private businesses?
A: No
Q: Do you believe we need tighter gun regulations?
A: No
Q: Do you believe global climate change is a threat to humanity?
A: No
Q: What church or religious group are you affiliated with, if any?
A: Immaculate Catholic Church
Q: Do you believe the main-stream media is biased against conservative viewpoints?
A: Yes
Q: Do you support increasing the minimum wage?
A: No
Q: Do you support school vouchers which allow parents to send their children to whichever schools they choose, whether that be public, private or religious?
A: Yes
Q: Do you believe human life begins at conception and should be legally protected?
A: No answer provided.
Q: Do you support a full statutory PFD payment to Alaskans?
A: Yes
Q: Do you believe systemic racism has undermined many of our educational, cultural and governmental institutions?
A: No answer provided.
Q: Do you believe bathrooms, showers or locker rooms should be restricted to members of the same biological sex regardless of how someone may sexually identify?
A: Yes.
JEFF RENTZEL (Running for Fairbanks School Board Seat B)
Q: Do you support COVID vaccines or mask mandates?
A: No. Don’t force vaccines or mask mandates. This is a personal choice.
Q: Do you support community-oversight boards for local police?
A: Yes, I think that they could serve a useful purpose, however, they should not be used to dictate policy.
Q: Do you support legal abortion or are you pro-life?
A: No, I don’t support abortions.
Q: Do you support stronger voter ID protocols for absentee voters?
A: Yes, I strongly support voter ID for all elections.
Q: Do you support universal mail-in voting, like what Anchorage and Juneau currently have?
A: No, mail-in voting can easily lead to voter fraud.
Q: Do you support ranked-choice voting?
A: No. One person, one vote.
Q: How would you describe your political belief system: Conservative, progressive or moderate?
A: Conservative.
Q: Name a contemporary political figure and BRIEFLY explain why you admire them.
A: Ronald Reagan, he was one of the best Presidents we have had other than Donald Trump. They were both for the people and America.
Q: Do you support gender identity and expression laws to help regulate religious organizations and private businesses?
A: No.
Q: Do you believe we need tighter gun regulations?
A: No
Q: Do you believe global climate change is a threat to humanity?
A: No, climate changes have been occurring since the dawn of time. Mankind has lived through many of them.
Q: What church or religious group are you affiliated with, if any?
A: We belong to the True North Church.
Q: Do you believe the main-stream media is biased against conservative viewpoints?
A: Yes, it is.
Q: Do you support increasing the minimum wage?
A: No
Q: Do you support school vouchers which allow parents to send their children to whichever schools they choose, whether that be public, private or religious?
A: Yes, I do. Parents should have the ability to provide their children with the best education possible.
Q: Do you believe human life begins at conception and should be legally protected?
A: Yes, I do.
Q: Do you support a full statutory PFD payment to Alaskans?
A: Yes.
Q: Do you believe systemic racism has undermined many of our educational, cultural and governmental institutions?
A: No.
Q: Do you believe bathrooms, showers or locker rooms should be restricted to members of the same biological sex regardless of how someone may sexually identify?
A: Yes. Girls in the girl’s bathroom boys in the boy’s bathroom.
12 Comments
Great info! And very encouraging! I do hope you are able to provide same for Matsu valley. If you have not already.
This is great info for Fairbanks voters. Please read through it. Many provided great common sense conservative view answers to most questions but there are a few that sway a little. But then again Alaskans politics seems to be more of a “I’ll give the answers I think will get me into office”. After that whichever special interest bid the highest, that’s who I’ll be representing.
Minimum wage increase should be the choice made by the employer not by a government bureaucrat. Colossians 4:1 “Masters (Employers) give unto your servants (employees) that which is just and equal; knowing that you also have a Master in Heaven.” It means employers do not hoard your wealth doing what Mathew 6:19 ” Lay not up treasures for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal.” You know! Be generous and protective of your employees. Why should you be the only one able to afford a new home and car while your employees can barely afford paying for their health insurance deductions?
Everyone else agrees it is not government with the responsibility determining what an employee earns except the mayor.
You know an employer shouldn’t be having employees whom qualify for food stamps because of after all the employee pays their monthly expenses they are left with less than 100 dollars in their bank before they can buy food. An employee on SNAP doesn’t reflect their employer very well.
An employer and employee should come to a mutual agreement on the value each provides to the other. Whether this results in an employee being on food stamps should have no bearing on the matter.
If someone can only provide $5/hr worth of value to an employer then mandating a higher wage will not help the employee. Minimum wage is better stated as a law prohibiting inexperienced or lower-performing people from obtaining paid employment.
Bryce Ward wants community oversight boards for our police, he doesn’t believe in voter ID laws for absentee voters, he wants to increase minimum wage, and he doesn’t believe in school choice?!?! He fails the conservative test. At a minimum, if you don’t get the necessity of school choice and vouchers, you really just don’t get it.
Community oversight of governmental agencies, particularly those authorized to use deadly force, is a very conservative position.
Nope – the Mayor and Assembly are the democratically elected oversight for the police department.
Yes!
Bryce Ward just lost my vote.
I do not know Mr. Ludtke, but the Libertarian stance that he claims to hold to makes the most sense and is the most consistent, in my opinion. I say this as a follower of Christ. As people have been duped by the national narrative that we need more government intervention to keep us safe, they have ignored the fact that this rise in intervention has resulted in less freedom. Less freedom for us all. The office holder should seek to uphold our freedoms, not to force a certain way of thinking or acting upon us for the “public good.” In a genuinely free society, I know people will make choices that I disagree with, but I will also be able to make my own decisions for me and my family without having to worry about the government (federal, state, local) telling me what I can and cannot do. It is infuriating that many people think the state owns us and our children and should be able to force us to do things that go against our beliefs. But here we are.
Other than providing safeguards against, and holding citizens accountable for, acts of violence and theft/fraud, the government should be hands off. People often seek office for the purpose of gaining control of others – even if they intend to use their position for good, but using political power to force one’s beliefs upon others is never the answer because it increases the influence of government and decreases the influence of the churches. We see that in America today. Even many professing Christians have aided government growth over the decades by looking to it to enforce certain ways of living, and now look – the government thinks it gets to decide what marriage is, when life begins, and all things right and wrong. Now Christians are finding that same political power being used against them. Be careful what you ask for, right? Christ never commanded his Church to empower the state to decide right and wrong. In a free society, the churches are able to be the moral influence that Christ intends them to be as we use the power of sacrificial love, rather than the power of coercion. Trust the Lord Jesus. Not the state.
Good luck, Mr. Ludtke.
I do not believe that the issue of abortion should be dealt with on the federal level because it’s prohibition has already been written into the laws of every state in the union – it is a crime to commit murder. In that regard, I do not believe it is a state issue either. It has already been settled and a spade needs to be called a spade.