A packed crowd turned out for a head-to-head debate between the two candidates vying for the Mat-Su Borough’s mayoral seat.
Held Oct. 9 at the Wasilla Senior Center, Edna DeVries and Matthew Beck answered a slew of questions aimed at pinpointing their views on mask mandates, election integrity, gun rights, climate change, taxation and more.
While the candidates both opposed additional property taxes or new zoning in the Mat-Su, they expressed key differences on a number of other hot-button issues.
In general, DeVries voiced serious concern about Dominion voting machines and election integrity, especially with regard to absentee and mail-in ballots. She favors new safeguards to prevent fraud and corruption in ballot tallying. Beck said he thought Mat-Su elections are “very secure” and didn’t see cause for concern.
On mask mandates, DeVries adamantly opposes them, and said she would fight to defend the right of citizens to choose whether to wear them. She was also concerned about employees facing termination for declining to get COVID shots.
Beck was less forceful on this issue, saying he doesn’t favor vaccine mandates, but that he does require employees to mask up in his private businesses. In general, he opposes “overarching mandates” from a government which he described as “a little bit restrictive.”
On the gun rights front, DeVries said she is willing to consider making the Mat-Su Borough a Second Amendment sanctuary. Beck didn’t have an opinion on the matter but said it is “sad” that something like this even needs to be considered.
DeVries was clearly the more conservative candidate, and proud to be labeled as such. When an audience member asked Beck to convince attendees that he, too, was a “conservative,” he noted that he is a fiscal conservative, but considers himself “non-partisan.”
15 Comments
Edna DeVries has my vote, Beck’s reply on voting integrity in the valley is “BS” as my wife and I will attest to the way we were treated in Wasilla at the library when we asked questions about our votes going into a carboard box to be run else where.
Beck is a libturd
Watch what you say! I got FB shamed for calling people who want mandates “libtards”, they said I was intolerant of “other views” and because of what I said they wouldn’t vote for Edna! As if they would have voted for her if I hadn’t said what I did! I didn.t even mention any names! LOL
Oh i have already been censored by one of the lefturd editors on here and thru personal email i went directly after him to
Damn right I’m intolerant of other views and so should you. I’m intolerant of socialism and any other person that wants to force anything over me and my family. Stop running away from the “insults” and embrace them in your own way!
Edna DeVries all day long. As a local business owner she has my support.
Vote for Edna a real person like you an I.
Not Matthew, who wants to control you and can’t even answer the questions.
Beck is a sheep in wolf’s clothing.
He is a Progressive Liberal who can’t he honest with his positions – because what he believes in isn’t what the Matsu voters want.
“Fiscal” conservative who is non partisan.
Yeah right.
Stop lying.
We’ve had it with politicians who lie and lie to get elected – then turn out to be something.
Level up Beck – stop the B.S.
Can you link a video to something other than the Communist Fakebook site?
How come neither of them talked about love of Jesus? I am still waiting for a candidate willing to bring back morning prayers in our schools. And why can’t we find conservative male candidate? We need stronger fist to destroy liberal agenda before antichrist would come to Mat-Su valley. We are losing our ground. Here, in interior, we already have churches with female pastors welcoming sodomites. Don’t you people see Armageddon is almost here?!?! Lord needs your prayers!
Hey Joel, would you please mention that this was a debate put on by the Matsu Chapter of AMAC Action? Also, I am sure the two School Board candidates would like your read on their debate.
Beck is a closet communist. He showed who he really was with the “global warming” question.
Edna is the only choice for any sanity to be maintained in the borough gov’t. She can be counted on to hold the line against the Marxist nut jobs.
Thanks to Mike Coons and AMAC for hosting the debate.
Please support Tom Bergey for School Board. Tom is another solid conservative with a good record on the school board.
Please don’t let Wasilla fall to a liberal candidate. I live in the MOA and often shop in Wasilla. It is a beacon of light in this sea of madness we have been subjected to by past mayors and the assembly. Trust me you do not want to let the camel’s nose into the tent. Beck sounds like a liberal in independent clothing. Typical. Fight against a liberal candidate with every conservative vote you can muster.
The above summary of the debate is really sparse and obviously favored Edna . I think to be fair and before making derogatory comments one should listen to the debate. There are some pretty ugly posts above and I would wonder if those readers even listened. Joel made an effort to provide the link to the debate.