He may not have an “R” behind his name, but Mat-Su Borough Assembly candidate Dana Raffaniello is running on one of the most conservative platforms in recent history.

Raffaniello, who describes himself as a “principled conservative,” claims the Republican Party in Alaska has abandoned conservative values, empowered Democrats in the State Legislature and failed to defend girls’ sports, common sense bathroom policies and parental rights in education.

An Alaska resident since 2001, Raffaniello is a retired U.S. Marine, who has spent many years as a telecommunications specialist in Fairbanks, King Salmon and Dillingham. In 2012, he moved to the Mat-Su where he now works with major telecom providers to engineer the infrastructure for broadband access to Alaskans statewide.

Raffaniello is running against two-time incumbent Stephanie Nowers, who represents Mat-Su residents living in District 2 – the City of Palmer and the greater Palmer area south of the Palmer-Wasilla Highway.

Nowers is a sustainable energy consultant and former reporter and editor for the Anchorage Daily News. She is backed by the Mat-Su Democrats as the more left-of-center candidate in an otherwise highly conservative area of Alaska.

Mat-Su Democrats’ website describes her as “a sane member of the Assembly” who “needs our support.”

While Nowers voting record and public comments would not fall into the category of “hard-left,” she has repeatedly voted to dilute or modify conservative proposals on the Borough Assembly, and she is clearly seen as the Democrats’ best option.

All candidates running for office in the Mat-Su Borough have been given the chance to publicly affirm their party affiliation on the Nov. 4 ballot, thanks to changes approved by the borough assembly last year. While borough elections are technically “nonpartisan,” the new policy is intended to help voters identify candidates political leanings.

Nowers chose to identify as “nonpartisan,” while Raffaniello listed himself as “undeclared.”

Raffaniello, however, is unapologetically conservative.

“Let’s be honest: in Alaska, it’s not the undeclared candidates who’ve abandoned conservative values it’s the GOP establishment,” he wrote on a campaign website. “We sent a Republican majority to Juneau, and they handed control to Democrats.”

Raffaniello claims that many so-called Republicans no longer stand on conservative principles.

“So, I ask: why would a principled conservative align with a party that won’t even defend its own platform?” he wrote. “Undeclared doesn’t mean liberal it means Undeclared. I fight against the ideology of the Democrats and the left.”

Raffaniello is running on a platform that prioritizes infrastructure, fast-tracked permitting and lower taxes. When it comes to transportation planning, he wants to ensure that the federally-funded Mat-Su Valley Planning for Transportation nonprofit is accountable to oversite by elected officials when prioritizing how transportation funds are spent in the Mat-Su.

On the social front, he wants to empower parents and concerned citizens to be a check on borough libraries that peddle sexually explicit books for children.

“Our public libraries are vital centers of learning, literacy, and community,” Raffaniello explained. “But they must also reflect the values and expectations of the people who fund them. I support a balanced, transparent approach to library governance that protects children, respects parents, and upholds intellectual freedom.”

He also supports expanding parental rights when it comes to controversial curriculum and school choice options.

“In the Mat-Su, we’re leading Alaska in educational innovation – from expanding Mat-Su Central School for homeschool families to launching new charter and STEM-focused campuses,” Raffaniello writes. “These programs are proof: when we trust families and educators to shape learning environments, students thrive.”

In addition to enhancing publicly-funded homeschooling, he wants to grow the network of charter schools, while removing any governmental barriers to private or religious education.

In addition to opposing ranked-choice voting, Raffaniello’s website highlights his support for improved commuter routes, vocational training and the protection of cultural values that make the Mat-Su unique.

LEARN MORE

— Click here to read more about Dana Raffaniello’s policy positions. Click here to view his official campaign website.

— Click here to view Stephanie Nowers’ campaign website.

Click here to support Alaska Watchman reporting.