By AlaskaWatchman.com

Kenai Borough Mayor Charlie Pierce has thrown his hat in the ring for the governor’s race.

Charlie Pierce
Kenai Borough Mayor Charlie Pierce

After seven years serving as mayor of one of Alaska’s largest boroughs, Pierce is ready to take his experience statewide, said campaign consultant Peter Zuyus.

A Jan. 21 announcement indicated that Pierce will be a leader who reaches across party lines with a fiscally conservative approach to state spending.

In seven years leading the Kenai Borough, the mill tax rates never once increased, reflecting a fiscal approach Pierce will take to the statewide level, Zuyus said, adding that Pierce is a “reasonable man … not a bomb thrower.”

“He’s not alt-right – he’s not left,” Zuyus said. “He must serve all Alaskans – Democrats, Republicans and Independents.”

The campaign is in discussion with a number of people regarding a lieutenant governor running mate.

In the days ahead Pierce will be launching a website and begin laying out his vision for the PFD, the structure of state government and other issues.

In recent years, Pierce has been a vocal critic of local Covid mandates that closed schools and businesses, as well as mask mandates. He was also outspoken about the 2020 general election, and said Alaskans were losing trust in the election process. He called for a forensic audit of the election. Pierce is also a strong advocate for Second Amendment rights, and worked to establish Kenai as a Second Amendment sanctuary borough.

His campaign slogan is “Results not rhetoric.”

Before taking the helm as as two-term borough mayor, Pierce was a manager at Enstar. In entering the governor’s race, he joins fellow Republicans, Gov. Mike Dunleavy, Rep. Christopher Kurka and Bruce Walden, along with former Gov. Bill Walker, former Democratic State Representative Les Gara and Libertarian William Toien.

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Conservative Kenai Mayor Charlie Pierce announces run for governor

Joel Davidson
Joel is Editor-in-Chief of the Alaska Watchman. Joel is an award winning journalist and has been reporting for over 24 years, He is a proud father of 8 children, and lives in Palmer, Alaska.


30 Comments

  • John J Otness says:

    Forensic Audit will get him Elected. Period…We have nothing if we have no Honest Vote.

  • Mongo Love Candy says:

    “reaches across party lines” is RINO code for COMPROMISE, ie surrendering to the Democrats. I would suggest he not use that language, it should be reserved for the likes of Murkowski et al. Also “Alt Right” is anything to the right of Hillary Clinton.

  • Neil DeWitt says:

    If some of these names even get on the ballot were done! Let’s hope it’s only a pipe dream for some of them..

  • Terry Tiree says:

    Candy you’re too rigid. Compromise is very ok, it what unifies America.

    • #AWAKEbutnotWOKE says:

      Compromise and weak knee republicans is how AMERICA is in this predicament we’re in now. You see how the Democrats are compromising with the republicans party in Congress? Yeah I didn’t think so. Remember republicans aren’t the answers to all our problems but democrats are almost always the root of our problems . If the republicans looses in 2022 you can bet the democrats will have no problem ruling over us.

    • Lyndsey says:

      United in falsehood and error isn’t unity. You have to compromise your convictions and the truth to get to compromise. Lies lead to division. We’ve seen thousands of years of it. Time together a clue and stand for truths like men can’t be women and abortion is murder of innocent babies. That’s true unity. Anyone who’s honest can agree on facts that have been truth for thousands of years and the beginning of recorded history and time. I don’t want compromise on truth and I don’t think other honest Alaskans do either.

      • kris spencer says:

        Very well stated. Anti-God liberals will always ask Republicans to compromise, while they themselves NEVER compromise. We saw how “rigid” they were over the last two years. No compromise on their part at all!

      • Terry Tiree says:

        Compromise in the sense I intended does not mean violating truth or accepting lies. It means sharing a limited resource or doing with less than you desire.

  • John. j Otness says:

    Dunleavy and his troop will face the Nuremberg Court for coercion to push the experimental jab…. Its in the CODE…

    • Georgie Curious says:

      I have seen this Nuremberg Court trial mentioned many time by many folks. But my question is who will be holding these so called trial? The courts, the world leaders, the militaries are all in cohoots with one another. So everyones dream of leaders being prosecuted will never happen. The only one who will ultimately judge every individual will be GOD ALMIGHTY!

      • John J Otness says:

        So true Georgie as to GOD being the ultimate Judge. My Spirit and Optimism lies within the soul of this Nation whose Armed hunters and Vets that outnumber any military on earth and we have our 2nd.
        No one said in any war that freedom is free or easy… GOD. Bless and chin up!!!
        PS The Nuremberg Code is a standard that free men must. uphold…. Yes. you and I, Or we have failed. This is our Heavenly. test as Men and Women. It will take Courage and lots of prayer but we shall overcome as we know. When GOD wins so his people.

  • jh says:

    We need to keep fighting until the radical leftist democratic party, the house of cards come tumbling down.

  • Coach says:

    “A leader who reaches across party lines” is code for a progressive who drives the speed limit. The left does not compromise.

  • Jeremy says:

    The headline is misleading. Perhaps it doesn’t seem like a big deal to the author who lives a few hundred miles away, but there is a vast difference between being the mayor of “Kenai” and being the mayor of the “Kenai Peninsula Borough”. For clarity, one is a small city with relatively limited small city problems and limited political diversity. The other is, as the story states, one of Alaska’s largest boroughs and highly diverse in it’s geographical, demographic and political attributes. Obviously being the leader of the latter is a far more substantial resume builder in a bid for leader of the State. The error of this headline matters because most of the people reading it, those who will be voting for the states next leader, likely don’t live on the Kenai Peninsula and quite possibly don’t know that mayor Pierce has been successfully running an entire borough not just a small city.

  • Jean says:

    If Mr Pierce is truly “reasonable”, willing to work with politicians across the aisle, and wants to put results over rhetoric, he stands absolutely no chance with Alaska’s conservative voters.

  • jh says:

    Akpublic.org (Very leftist News)
    8-25-21
    Headline: Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Promotes -Debunked Treatment for COVID
    Article reads, “The mayor of the Kenai Peninsula Borough — who says he is not a medical professional — is promoting a debunked treatment for COVID-19, that is intended more for farm animals.”
    Hey leftist keep posting your horse crap lies!
    Your leftist lying news just encourages “reasonable and sane” people to vote Republican.
    Thank you for your journalistic lies, and thank you again for helping us win again, the THIRD time!!
    We love all of you lunatics! XX00 :–)

  • RB7 says:

    Don’t people realize that with the ranked choice voting scam that will be deciding our elections will ultimately give your vote to the candidate with the most name recognition? Regardless of whether or not you vote for them. Furthermore, the more candidates that fill the ticket, the more votes that will go to the familiar candidate, likely to be the establishment’s choice with the most outside money in their campaign.

  • jh says:

    We need to recycle the garbage in our lives, the garbage that is killing our America…. the garbage is the lunatic radical leftist!!!

  • Lyndsey says:

    You’re correct, Jean, that working across the aisle means Mayor Pierce stands no chance with us conservatives, but that doesn’t mean he’s “reasonable”. A reasonable person wouldn’t suggest it’s fair to let men swim in races with women. I don’t know Mayor Pierce’s opinion on that, but I’m pretty sure that I know Representative Kurka’s. A strong economy and freedom shouldn’t be our main concerns. They are very important and nice, yes, but we need to get back to the basics. We have poor souls in our population who are apparently confused about their gender and whether or not an unborn baby is a person or a puppy. When you give money and freedom to people with no morals, wisdom, or guidance you get bankruptcy and tyranny very soon down that road. Building morals must come first so people have the wisdom and knowledge to use, grow, and invest money wisely, and the wisdom of Solomon to place appropriate boundaries on freedom that doesn’t encroach on it. I’m not hearing from Mayor Pierce about a plan to put the 10 Commandments and prayer back into schools, courthouses, and the Capitol, end abortion and violations against foster children and parental rights, restore and protect property rights, and uphold our Constitution. Maybe I missed that, but I don’t get the impression those are things on Mayor Pierce’s priority list. I’d be happy to hear from him if I’m wrong. I’m confident Representative Kurka will be strong on these fronts that will rebuild a strong foundation to grow the economy and freedom on. He has a record that shows he gets how important the Bible and a strong family is to Alaska’s and America’s survival and future success. You can find it all over his website and the content of his speeches. Mayor Pierce has done many good things for us in the KPB, but the reaching across the aisle rhetoric concerns me. Is he crossing over? It sounds like he’s virtue signaling at people on the left, where the only virtue is deny all truth and repeat lies until it becomes “our” truth, where men can have babies and flying unicorns are real. Being good at numbers and budgets is good and easy when times are good, but when times are bad you need that and more to lead. We are in stormy times and the winds aren’t gone yet. It could get worse. I’m looking for a Moses/Paul of faith who knows how to persuade and equip the Aarons and Miriams along side him to help him establish, interpret, and execute right laws that reflect the Bible that inspired the birth of this Nation, and isn’t ashamed to talk about and inspire others publicly with his faith. Now that would be something.
    – Alaskan Conservative Voter (Lifelong Republican considering AIP or other conversion due to RINO Republican leadership decisions post Nov 3 2020)

    • kris spencer says:

      All valid points. Since when does a Lefty “reach across the aisle?” When does the Left “compromise” for the overall ‘good’ of something? Kurka ran a nail biter against another “conservative” that wasn’t ‘conservative’ enough and WON! It’s wonderful to know precisely where your elected official stands and that they do not “reach across the aisle” for things that matter the most. Everyone sees the inability of the current Gov to take a stand. All voted for him and thought he was the guy to get the PFD back in the hands of the people. If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for everything. God hates compromise. In the Bible, He’s constantly asking people “where do YOU stand?”

  • jh says:

    Currently the FBI is investigating The Center for Covid Control’s Covid-19 Pop up Sites in various states.
    The COVID-19 pop-up testing chain is under FEDERAL investigation following multiple complaints of FRAUDULENT activity and compromised tests.
    The Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced Thursday that the center would indefinitely cease all operations in the state.
    The Center for Covid Control is a NATIONAL chain with more than 300 testing sites, with 30 across Chicago. The testing chain allegedly delivered individuals wrong or false test results. Some patients also reported never receiving their test results from the company’s lab, Doctors Clinical Laboratory. The Center for Covid Control has already collected $124 million from the federal government’s COVID-19 uninsured program.
    The Center for Covid Control testing sites located in Grand Rapids Michigan and in Wyoming are now empty.
    The Illinois, Colorado, Minnesota, and Oregon attorney generals have all announced investigations into the company.
    The Attorney General’s office encourages people to contact them who believe they’ve been treated unfairly or unlawfully by any COVID-19 testing operation.

  • Sterling crone says:

    Same old pile, different decade.
    Oh! “Ranked” voting woo hoo!
    That will “fix” it.

  • jh says:

    New Research is proving that Ivermectin might be a new potential anticancer drug for treating human colorectal cancer and other cancers.
    Yup, the horse medicine called Ivermectin, that the medical establishment, Government, Big Pharma and the leftist mob media deemed dangerous and undermined the effectiveness -they also put a hit list on the Doctors who prescribed it- threatened their licenses and threatened the Pharmacies who filled the prescription.
    Let’s not forget this.

  • You Voted for Who??? says:

    Doesn’t matter who runs, with Ranked Choice voting on the horizon, the scammers will be able to put anyone they want in office like Murky Murkowski and be able to say that you, as a conservative voter, actually did vote for her as your 4th, 5th, 6th choice. And the courts just ruled in favor of it. We are screwed!