Candidates line up for fall

MAT-SU — The deadline for candidates to file in this year’s state elections passed Friday with more than a dozen Valley-ites tossing their hats into the ring. This year it’s an especially crowded field. The electoral map was re-drawn, which meant nearly every legislator in the state had to file to run again.

And, unlike in past years, every Valley legislator faces a challenge for re-election. Here’s a rundown of who’s squaring off against whom:

Senate District D

The district includes Palmer, the areas north of Wasilla but a ways south of Palmer-Fishhook Road, and then spreads west and north, encompassing Talkeetna, Houston, Willow and Skwentna.

The two candidates in that area have been campaigning for months now. They are:

Incumbent Linda Menard, matriarch of a family of local politicians and dentists, a former president of the Mat-Su Borough School Board who has served on charitable boards around the Valley including the Mat-Su Health Foundation, the American Cancer Society, and the Wasilla Chamber of Commerce.

Challenger Mike Dunleavy, current president of the school board, was educated in Pennsylvania and came to Alaska to start a career in education. He has worked in urban and rural schools, rising as high as superintendent.

Senate District E

The district includes Wasilla, Big Lake, and the Knik area. Both candidates running seem poised to skate through their primaries before battling it out in the general election

Incumbent is Republican Charlie Huggins, who is seeking his third term. Huggins is a Vietnam veteran and helicopter pilot.

Challenger is Democrat Susan Parsons Herman, a licensed massage therapist from the Wasilla area.

House District 6

The district includes Valdez, Chickaloon, Sutton, part of the Fishhook area, Delta Junction and Glennallen. Again, this one likely won’t get interesting until the November primary. Candidates are:

Incumbent Republican Eric Feige of Chickaloon, a West Point graduate, former Army Captain, Chief of the subscription-based Chickaloon Fire Service Inc., and a professional pilot.

Challenger Democrat Jamey Duhamel is active in the groups opposed to coal mining at Wishbone Hill, in borough politics and especially in the schools, where she has run for school board and been a frequent advocate at board meetings.

House District 7

District 7 stretches from the neighborhoods north of Bogard Road all the way to Talkeetna and all the way to Skwentna. There are two candidates there, both Republicans:

Incumbent Wes Keller was appointed to the seat when Vic Kohring stepped down to focus on his legal case. He has held the seat since without drawing a challenger. He’s a former building contractor, oilfield hand and legislative staffer.

Challenger Roger Purcell was a city councilman and mayor of Houston for a tumultuous few years. He has worked as a police officer and ran a mortgage company for a time.

House District 8

The seat is mostly Palmer and outlying areas. It’s the seat formerly held by the late Carl Gatto, who died in office April 10 from the cancer he’d battled for a decade.

Shelley Hughes was appointed to fill the remainder of Gatto’s unexpired term. She is a former legislative staffer — working, at one point, for Gatto — a government affairs director for a statewide organization, and mother of four.

Daniel Hamm is a commercial pilot, small business owner, author and outdoorsman with a bachelor’s degree in business.

House District 9

Often referred to as “the new district,” District 9 lacks an incumbent and is essentially the way in which the state added a legislative seat in the Valley due to population growth since the last time districts were re-drawn.

District 9 includes Wasilla on both sides of the Parks Highway and stretches toward Palmer along the Palmer-Wasilla Highway, wrapping around Finger Lake. Three candidates have signed up:

Republican Mark Ewing is a former Mat-Su Borough assemblyman, former Wasilla City Councilman, former borough planning commissioner who works for Matanuska Telephone Association.

Republican Lynn Gattis is a landlord, hay farmer, school board member, and co-owner of an aircraft leasing business. She was formerly an officer for the state Republican Party.

Democrat Blake Merrifield works in road construction, has spent time on a Bering Sea fuel barge and his family’s gold mine. He’s active in democratic circles and is making his first foray into political campaigning.

House District 10

The district that used to stretch all the way to Talkeetna now stops at Big Lake but goes as far out as Point MacKenzie, taking in most of the Knik area. Two candidates have signed up but the race is unlikely to get interesting until after the primary:

Incumbent Mark Neuman has filed to run again. Neuman is a Big Lake carpenter, active in local Big Lake business groups and statewide outdoorsman groups.

Democrat Pam Rahn is challenging Neuman. Searches of the Frontiersman archives and the Internet turned up little information on her background.

House District 11

The set is mostly Chugiak but contains Butte. Incumbent Republican Bill Stoltze of Chugiak is facing a Republican challenge in Thomas Connelly, also of Chugiak.

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