4 candidates seek Gatto’s seat

WASILLA — It looks like state Rep. Carl Gatto is going to have a race on his hands.

The three-term Palmer Republican has company in the race for state House District 13 — one Republican and two Democrats.

But, at least in terms of numbers, this isn’t shaping up to be the toughest race he’s faced, Gatto said. The toughest would have to be his first race in 2002, when he had three opponents in the primary and three more in the general election.

“It’s very difficult to win one out of four and then one out of four again,” Gatto said.

When speaking on his confidence in winning re-election this fall, Gatto gave a political answer.

“We have a democratic process,” he said. “Everybody has to beat somebody else. I will just do my best.”

David Parks, 27, will be Gatto’s Republican primary opponent. Parks has never sought elected office.

He is executive director of Alaska Community Share, a nonprofit that helps raise money for other nonprofits. He has sat on the University of Alaska’s Board of Regents and has been a delegate to the Republican Party’s state convention.

“This is the perfect time for a young person to step into the Alaska political arena,” Parks said.

The time is ripe for two reasons, he said.

First, there are the recent corruption investigations that rocked the Republican establishment and left voters looking for change. The second is the state faces a new slate of issues — the natural gas pipeline being a prime example — that will need a fresh set of eyes, Parks said.

According to the state’s Division of Elections Web site, on the Democratic side, two challengers are seeking the nomination. One, Jim Wardman, has run against Gatto before. Wardman could not be reached for comment.

He will face Palmer bookstore owner David Cheezem who, like Parks, is making his first run for public office.

“Everything I’ve been involved with has been about new ideas and doing things that are different,” Cheezem said. “So I think what I’m bringing is a lot of passion and invention and new ideas.”

Cheezem said he wears his status as a Democrat proudly, as the party is the one most fitting of his views.

Still, he said, “It’s not about which team you’re on, it’s about what kind of an agreement you can come to create a future.”

As to how much the corruption investigation (which has so far led to the conviction of three state lawmakers, including former Valley District 14 representative Vic Kohring) will play in the race for Gatto’s seat, none of the candidates said it would play a direct role as Gatto has never been mentioned as being a target for investigators.

Gatto said he doesn’t believe voters will be so ready for a change they’ll vote against him simply because he’s an incumbent Republican.

“In fact, I’ve felt somewhat of the reverse,” he said.

Parks isn’t so sure.

“[It’s] time for stronger leadership and for a more dynamic vision, a more forward-thinking vision for our community,” Parks said. “Simply showing up to vote is not enough.”

Gatto said that, far from simply showing up to cast his vote, he’s a hard-working legislator who listens to his constituents. He pointed to scads of meetings he’s attended on the gas line and visits he makes to various Valley organizations as proof.

Cheezem, for his part, believes the time is right for new leadership in Juneau, especially in light of the corruption investigations.

“When I talk to my neighbors here they’re surprised by all the things that happened, but when I talk to people that were around in Juneau they feel like it was all an open secret,” he said. “Why did it take so long for this to come out and why did we have to wait for the federal government to expose this?”

Contact Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.