DeVries leaves Senate race

PALMER — She said she would do it and now she’s done it — Edna DeVries has dropped out of the race for state Senate, shrinking the list of candidates to three.

In a press release sent this week, DeVries throws her support behind Rep. Bill Stoltze, a Chugiak Republican, who is seeking a Senate seat representing Palmer, Butte, Fairview Loop and Chugiak.

Also in that race are Democrat Pat Chesbro and DeLena Johnson, mayor of Palmer.

Johnson says she is a conservative, although she hasn’t declared yet on her candidate filings whether she intends to seek the Republican nomination against Stoltze in the primary or head straight to the general election, running as an independent against both Stoltze and Chesbro.