Edie Grunwald suspends campaign as Charlie Pierce’s running mate for lieutenant governor

Edie Grunwald is suspending her campaign for lieutenant governor. Grunwald, a Republican, is on Alaska’s Nov. 8 general election ballot as the running mate of Republican gubernatorial candidate Charlie Pierce.

Pierce and the Kenai Peninsula Borough were sued on Friday by a borough employee who said Pierce sexually harassed her when he served as mayor.

In email addressed “Hello Alaska” and sent to news reporters Tuesday afternoon, Grunwald wrote:

“There are recent circumstances surrounding my Gubernatorial running mate, Charlie Pierce, which have led me to make the decision to withdraw from the Pierce-Grunwald for Governor campaign team.”

Voting has already begun for Alaska’s general election, and it is too late for Grunwald to withdraw and be replaced on state ballots.

In the email, she said she is endorsing the campaign of incumbent Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy and his running mate, former Department of Corrections Commissioner Nancy Dahlstrom.

By phone, Grunwald said she had been thinking about her decision “on and off since Friday.”

“My withdrawing is in no way a reflection of my belief in (Pierce’s) innocence or guilt, because I have no knowledge of anything that took place. It’s just that for me, I feel strongly about supporting and advocating the respectful treatment of women in the workforce.”

In Tuesday’s email, Grunwald thanked those who supported her campaign to become lieutenant governor.

“I support and advocate for the respectful treatment of women in politics, the workplace and the world in general,” she wrote. “I believe my stepping down at this time is in the best interest of Alaskans and a demonstration of my support for all women, regardless of political affiliation.”

The lawsuit came weeks after the harassment accusation was reported by news organizations. At that time, Grunwald texted that she and Pierce would remain in the race.

Grunwald said on Tuesday that at the time, she felt she had an obligation to voters who had supported the Pierce-Grunwald ticket during the primary.

She said she and Pierce “haven’t talked fully” about her decision to suspend her campaign but that he is aware of her decision and she doesn’t think that his reaction to that decision would change her mind.

Grunwald ran for lieutenant governor in 2018, when the position still had a separate primary from the governor, and finished second in the Republican primary. Since then, a voter-passed law has changed the system so that the candidates for governor name their running mates before the primary.

The lieutenant governor oversees elections in the state. Grunwald has said there were “some things that were pretty suspicious in the 2020 presidential election.”

Grunwald is a retired Air Force colonel and chaired the Alaska Board of Parole from 2019 until earlier this year.

During the administration of Gov. Sean Parnell, Grunwald was asked to resign after an inquiry into sexual assault, fraud and other misconduct in the Alaska National Guard.

Grunwald said Tuesday’s decision is reminiscent of that time in her life.

“The allegations against me were false, but I’ve always advocated and supported the respectful treatment of women,” she said. “And I just need to put my money where my mouth is, and where my heart is, my faith.”