State Sen. Kelly Merrick may be running as a Republican, but her positions on two key ballot measures may put her at odds with many voters in Eagle River’s conservative-leaning Senate District L.
New flyers, paid for by one of Alaska’s largest unions – AFL-CIO – urge voters to choose Merrick. The flyer shows a smiling Merrick with the words “UNION ENDORSED.” Directly below her photo, the flyer presses voters to vote “yes” on Ballot Measure 1, while asking them to oppose Ballot Measure 2, which seeks to repeal ranked-choice voting.
Both of these are leftist-supported efforts that are heavily supported by Democrats.
Ballot Measure 1, which is funded by powerful leftist groups from the lower-48, is opposed by many conservatives because it forces small businesses to pay employees a bare minimum of $15/hour, while mandating that businesses with 15 or more employees provide 56 hours of sick leave a year. Smaller companies must provide 40 hours a year.
A recent Watchman column by State Sen. Mike Shower warns that Ballot Measure 1 will crush small companies that already operate on razor thin margins. Many of these struggling companies will need to raise prices and/or cut employee hours in an effort to survive, Shower argued. Additionally, Ballot Measure 1 contains language that threatens to expose faith-based business owners to costly lawsuits if they operate in accord with their deeply held beliefs.
Furthermore, Merricks glowing face above the call to reject Ballot Measure 2, also aligns her with outside dark money groups that want to keep Alaska’s controversial and confusing ranked-choice voting system. A “yes” vote on Ballot Measure 2 would help end ranked-choice voting for good, and restore Alaska’s traditional voting system and party primaries.
Eagle River residents have a clear choice on Nov. 5. Conservative challenger Jared Goecker is attempting to unseat Merrick and restore a conservative voice in the State Senate for Eagle River residents.
Goecker is a long-time Alaskan and family man who is campaigning on being tough on crime, capping the state budget, protecting the PFD, lowering taxes, defending gun rights and supporting school choice.
He is endorsed by conservative groups like American For Prosperity and many leading Republicans around the state. Goecker has criticized Merrick for empowering Democrats to take control of the State Senate by joining the bi-partisan coalition which has effectively excluded and marginalized conservatives like Senators Mike Shower and Shelley Hughes.
9 Comments
15.00 an hour is not a living wage anywhere in Alaska. That’s not working; that’s slavery.
Merrick for the win.
I am voting “NO” on ballot measure 1
I am voting “YES” on ballot measure 2
Praying that Merrick is FIRED by her constituents in less than a month!
Merrick is a liberal wolf in sheep’s clothing. Vote her out. We’ve had enough false prophets and liars in office as it is. Research how she votes. She is NOT the conservative she purports to be.
Every answer on that flyer is a different choice for myself. Lets make Alaska a Right to Work State and see how fast the Union support dries up. Unions have out lived their usefulness and are some of the main reasons why the United States have fallen way behind the rest of the industrial world for manufacturing and public service unions are even worse those people work for us the taxpayer and are accountable to us. Chugiak Resident waiting to vote her out!!
Seriously, what idiot believes Merrick is in any way conservative? Why has she not been censured by actual Republicans?
And yet every cop on our street has her sign up in their yard.
Can someone explain how Ranked Choice Voting is confusing? It’s literally as easy as 1, 2, 3. Those who oppose it clearly have an agenda that they aren’t willing to talk about publicly.
A yes vote repealing Ranked Choice voting is a vote against democracy. It reinforces our two party system where two minorities determine which two people we choose between. You may argue that others can be on the ballot, but the reality is an independent or party member not the choice of the party has little chance. We are becoming more and more polarized and our two party system is much to blame. Why do we have such low voter turn out? In part because many people do not have a candidate that represents them. Do you really want a democracy or do you just wish to get your candidate in office?