Quick thread on Alaska's U.S. Senate race, since people have been asking about it this morning.
Dem-endorsed independent Al Gross, who's trailing by nearly 60,000 votes put out a memo this morning saying: We still think we're going to win. Here it is #AKleg#AKsen#AKelect (1/x)
Their argument, summarized, is: Only about 200,000 votes have been counted so far, and as many as 150,000 absentee/early/questioned ballots won't be counted until starting next week (more on that delay in a separate story).
Gross: "A question mark on this race should remain"
Yes on 1 (oil tax increase): 39 percent
No on 1: 61 percent
Yes on 2 (open primaries/ranked choice voting: 47%
No on 2: 53% #AKelect#AKleg#AKsen
Apr 2, 2020 • 13 tweets • 4 min read
A few observations from reporting this week on the new crisis state of Alaska's budget. (thread)
(The situation was summarized by multiple sources familiar with the matter as: "We are f***ed.) #AKleg
The first and most striking fact: Even if oil prices recover to $35/barrel next year (and they're at $23/barrel now), Alaska still will not have enough cash to pay another year's bills -- even without any Permanent Fund dividend whatsoever.
Oct 18, 2018 • 12 tweets • 5 min read
A year ago, I started hearing tips that some of Alaska's most influential lobbyists were helping candidates for the Legislature and governor organize fundraisers.
This is significant because Alaska law bars lobbyists from engaging in "fundraising activity."
(thread)
#AKelect
The state Legislature approved the prohibition in the early 1990s.
The legislator who pushed for the law told me he did that because when lobbyists help candidates fundraise, it makes it harder for the candidates to say no to lobbyists' requests once they're in office
