Croft vs. Sullivan – The Torture is Over.
8 04 2009No longer tortured by which candidate to support, moderates and progressives across Alaska are breathing a sigh of relief today. Yesterday’s mayoral election came down like this:
Dan Sullivan – 43%
Eric Croft -19%
Sheila Selkregg – 16%
Walt Monegan -9%
Matt Claman -6%
Paul Honeman – 5%
Lone conservative candidate Dan Sullivan walked away with 43% of the vote. Less than 45% was enough to continue this race into a May 5th runoff between Sullivan and Croft. This is good news.
I spent much of last night at election central pacing the floor, and hoping that Sullivan wouldn’t somehow pull off the 45% needed to clinch it. A detailed post of the evening will come later in the day.
And now moderate and progressive voters in Anchorage who voted the “anyone but Sullivan” ticket, have a clear choice. Sullivan may pick up some votes from the non-partisan candidates Monegan and Honeman, but those who voted for Selkregg and Claman will doubtful hop the fence in the next election.
It’s going to be a nail biter, and Anchorage is going to have to do better than the 25% voter turnout yesterday if they want to have a real say in what happens to their city.
On a lighter note, let’s just say I came across a box of something I thought Mudflatters might enjoy. These:
Ironically, they are quite refreshing.
So, for the first motivated Mudflatter that can show up where I hid them, they are all yours.
They are located downtown right in front of the Atwood Building at 550 West 7th Ave. If you stand facing the building, you’ll see a row of large concrete planters. The mints are hidden in the one containing a spruce tree, all the way on the right, at the corner of 7th and F. Look near the base of the trunk.
Hopefully the resourceful Mudflatter who gets them will email me and let me know!
And yes, I know that the fleeing deer (instead of moose or wolves) and the oil pumps (instead of platforms) indicate that the designer of the tin was most definitely NOT from Alaska….but they get an A for effort nonetheless. And the back of the tin sports a pit bull in red lipstick.
Happy Hunting!
April 8th, 2009 at 5:26 PM
Just a line or two about the low turnout in your election:
In Australia where I hail from we have compulsory voting (one of the few countries in the world to have it) and it always sets me thinking when I hear about the turnouts in various countries/states around the world.
Our voting is always on a Saturday (so is quite convenient) and people can also vote before the date or use a postal vote. When I hear grumbles in Australia itself or from other countries it seems to me that what we are being asked to do (as our responsibility in a democracy) is to actually just go the the voting place and take a ballot paper (thereby having our names crossed off the electoral roll).
Hopefully we vote thoughtfully but really we are just being asked to give a few minutes to take the opportunity to register our judgement on those standing for election and their platform.
It seems a shame that the other democracies in the world don’t have “compulsory” voting.
April 8th, 2009 at 5:43 PM
@ Carolina Girl — Congratulations and seriously?!? People where you live 1. know mudflats and 2. bother to tell you? You must be in the heart of C4P country.
April 8th, 2009 at 5:51 PM
I am sorry that you seem to be grieving over Dan Sullivan’s win last night. It Would appear to me that Mr. Croft’s reheoric did not fly very well. It is time for a reasonal mind to now be in office. It is far past the time for inane entitlements, vast spending with no accountability and under the table tax increases without public oversite (ala Prop 9).
I am a moderate. I do not like what is going on re our our fiscal situation. Neither here nor in D.C. I am not alone. That much is obvious. Wonder boy left a 17m deficiet……..Cuomo chronically wants more money while the student enrollment has been static for decades while the student scores are amongst the lowest in the Nation.
It is time for a Fiscal Revolution. We need to put people in office that demonstrate the ability to experience neural synapses. Obviously, we see none of that in DC and did not with Mark Begich either.
If you care about the future of this community, you need to vote for Dan Sullivan (should a run-off be nececessary).
April 9th, 2009 at 6:51 AM
Gee is the tin in the mudgear? That’s funny.
April 9th, 2009 at 9:41 AM
The mints are from the line of the Unemployed Philosopher’s Guild (www.philosophersguild.com). They have great products (!), so a bit of forgiveness for not getting full Alaskan details right are in order.
April 9th, 2009 at 12:39 PM
Despite Sarah’s extension of her olive branch, we aren’t seeing much of an Alaskan group hug or any words of thank you or encouragement from the people she’s trying to woo onto her bus…I mean how dumb can she think Alaskans are anyway. Do you think they forget road rash that quickly? She’s painted herself into a far right corner and has even managed to fracture that corner. There is not a doubt in my mind, however, that the palintologists will continue to follow her like a bunch of lovesick muskox and respond to her public panhandling efforts. I wonder when Levi is going to start his legal defense fund anyway. Can’t wait to donate! HaHa
April 10th, 2009 at 11:13 PM
Why are members of the Alaska Legislative Body so spineless?? Gov. Palin
has left an open book in her “dictator style” of governing Alaska. She
makes her own rules for everything she does. The Alaskan Constitution
means nothing to ‘Ego Driven’ Gov. Palin. As long as she can continue to
duck under the radar, she doesn’t give a damn what her Alaskan Citizens
think. Gov. Palin has only one goal in mind…advance Sarah to the next
level. Whatever it takes!! She has no morals! She will use every political
trick in the bag to remain in the politial spotlight. Diva, Sex Kittten, will
walk any runway as long as it opens doors for Queen Sarah. Ethics, that
is not a word in Gov. Palin’s volcabulary. It sure didn’t take Illinois
Legislative Body long to impeach a corrupt governor. What is taking so long
in Alaska? Has the Mega Church attended by Gov. Palin brainwashed
Alaskan voters into silence? Will the Cult take over the governing of
Alaska? Will this welfare state (Alaska) be remembered in the lower 48,
as the most corrupt government in the USA? Alaskan Taxpayers & Voters,
why haven’t you investigated House-Gate? The Palin home is a mini
copy of the million dollar sport complex. So many flags…new home
built within a couple months at the same time sport complex is under
construction. Same type of expensive industrial type materials used in
the Palin home as the sport complex. Location of Palin home…was this
piece of ground part of the sport complex property? Why no building
permit? Another rule changed by Mayor Palin. (There was a red flag
flying…corruption!) Why was this not investigated? Todd Palin and two
buddies built a 3500.00 sq. foot home in two months?? Who is kidding
who? Rather, who is lying…Todd Palin or Gov. Sarah Palin…or both??
And now the latest, creating a special legal defense fund to pay Gov.
Palin’s legal bills. Why? If she was governing with ethics, following
state guidelines, state laws, etc., why does she need a private lawyer?
I think all the legal problems, the Palins brought on themselves. Had
they been more honest, from the moment McCain’s committee apprached
Gov. Palin to be the VP candidate, a legal defense fund would not be
necessary. The Palin’s can well afford to pay their own legal bills. Take
out a loan on their $600,000.00 house that was built with taxpayers
monies. Gov. Palin is operating way out of her league. She is not
fit to be governor of the small area know as Alaska. (63% of the state
of Alaska is owned by the United States of America Government.) It was
a big embarassment to the National Republican Party that Gov. Palin
was not vetted before she and her family were paraded across the lower
48, Those sexey legs walking in “naughty” red shoes did not represent
the best woman candidate that America had to offer to the world. Gov.
Palin was being used by a bunch of dirty old republican men. She could
have taken control, and refused the offer. No, because Gov. Palin has
such an inflated ego and is so arrogant in her self-absorbed “me centered”
world. In many ways, Gov. Palin’s ignorance is a blessing.
Alaskan Voters, stand up and take control of your government.
Impeach Gov. Palin!!!!!!!