Election 2022: Seven candidates in a race for three local Senate seats

Candidates for three local districts in the Alaska State Senate had the opportunity to submit answers to the Frontiersman candidate questionnaires as part of our 2022 election coverage. For the State House coverage, see frontiersman.com and the Sunday edition. For Mat-Su Borough Assembly and Mat-Su School Board election coverage, see an upcoming edition of the Frontiersman.

Senate District M

Shelley Hughes, Republican (incumbent)

Personal and professional: Past project consultant, contract instructor, policy affairs director, stay-at-home-Mom. Married with four grown children, nine grandchildren and three “bonus and borrowed”, grandchildren. “I’m a 46-year Alaskan and have lived 32 years in our district, and from 1976 to 1990 lived in Hoonah, Bethel, Fort Yukon, Fairbanks, and Seward,” Hughes said.

What I want to accomplish: “I want to work to make Alaska the land of opportunity again like it was when I was young here; to work to limit government reach and control and ensure individual freedoms and pursuits are not squelched; to ensure the work we started to get our state fiscal house in order and to settle the PFD issue is completed.

What gives you qualifications to serve? “I have a track record, of (1) of listening to residents, being accessible, and working on issues important to constituents; (2) of votes that reflect the district’s values and priorities; (3) of sponsoring legislation promoting economic opportunities, strengthening public safety, improving student outcomes, building roads, and more.”

“I also appreciate and consider the long list of endorsements as support for my qualifications to serve: NRA (A+ rating), ProLife Alaska, Alaska Outdoor Council, Alaska Outdoor Access Alliance, Alaska Family Council and many community leaders.

Have you served in public office previously? “I was in the state House for four years and the for Senate six years, most recently as Senate Majority Leader. I have chaied the Judiciary, Transportation, Education, and Community Regional Affairs committees and was vice-Chair of the Labor/Commerce and Health and Social Service committees: Finance (subcommittees Public Safety, Law, Administration), Resources, Joint Armed Services. I was also the Food and Farm Caucus Co-Chair and Outdoor Heritage Caucus and was state coordinator for the National Conference State Legislatures as well as a member of ;he Cybersecurity Task Force, Co-Chair of the Unmanned Aircraft Partnership; Conference of State Governments/ West Canada Relations; State Agriculture & Rural Leaders, Convention of States; Phoenix Correspondence Commission, Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education, Alaska Fiscal Plan Working Group and the Alaska Broadband Task Force.”

An issue of prime concern: “I want to focus on shoring up the livelihoods of Alaskans. Inflation, our struggling economy, loss of resource development jobs, the cost of health care, and challenges in our schools are jeopardizing our future.”

“I’d like to work on the following to counter these factors:

• Strengthen private sector to reduce inflation. Government pumping money out is making it worse (35 percent of population in Alaska is on Medicaid, which is not sustainable)

• Wisely reining in spending where we can and increasing job opportunities for those now on public assistance

• Reduce cost of energy in a tangible way to open up economic and resource development opportunities (e.g., small and affordable microreactors on Railbelt and in rural areas)

• Educate federal partners to understand we can responsibly develop our oil, gas, and minerals including rare earth elements rather than shifting that work to other countries.

• Unfetter free market principles in health care.

• Shore up academic accountability in schools; increase options for school safety to protect against tragic incidents; protect girls in sports and in bathrooms / locker rooms while promoting culture of valuing all students and not pitting one group against another.

Jim Cooper, Democrat

Personal: Retired. After 26 years in the Coast Guard, my wife and I moved to Palmer and bought the “JUST SEW’ fabric store. I am past chairman of the Palmer Economic Development Committee; Co-chair of Palmer Pride; Past president of the Greater Palmer Chamber and Palmer’s Citizen of the Year. Current Board member of the Palmer Community Foundation (PCF). I have lived in Alaska for 41 years, 27 in Palmer. My wife, Cheri, passed away Oct 2017. We have three children and six grandchildren.

Why I am running: “I believe in public service. My years in the Coast Guard taught me compassion, respect for people and their lives and property. We were protectors of life and property at sea and protectors of taxpayer’s dollars. Being a business owner I learned to listen to people’s needs/desires and help them obtain them. Being President of the Chamber taught me how to work with different businesses and help them reach a common goal. PCF has taught me to be less selfish and look to those who need help. Too often elected officials don’t look after the people they represent. Divisive/partisan politics stand in the way of meaningful progress. Alaskans need leaders who are team builders, who listen and do what is right for ALL Alaskans, NOT just those who voted for them. I will use my previous life/job lessons and experiences to better serve our Alaskan people.

On my qualifications: “In addition to the boards and organizations on which I served, I was a Palmer Planning and Zoning Commissioner, Palmer City Councilman and Palmer Mayor. I was President of the Alaska Municipal League which represents over 140 municipalities throughout Alaska.

“I have a penchant for working with all people to get things done. With a diverse (Palmer) City Council, the accomplishments when (I was) Mayor remain unprecedented. We accomplished more than any mayor has since: paved streets, new wells, new treatment plant, new water/sewer lines, walking path, water line to the hospital, increased pay and benefits for employees. We enticed Fred Meyer into Palmer, (got a) new taxiway at the airport, new gardens, new ice rink and other things. I know what it takes to serve, am qualified and ready.

On issues of concern: “There are a number of issues presented in the Legislature which I totally oppose: authorizing guns for school personnel; eliminating all funding for abortion; discriminating against LGBTQ individuals, particularly transgenders; prohibiting them from participating in sports or having an appropriate bathroom facility, abolishing the federal Department of Education, and refusing federal money for education to name a few.

“Elected officials need to assist people of all religions, races, color, sexual orientation and not discriminate. Alaska has been number one or close to number one in the nation for two decades in the following areas: sexual assault, domestic violence, alcoholism and now teen suicide. This has to stop. We cannot continue to let people suffer. I believe in honesty, decency, compassion, fairness and treating people, ALL people, with respect. We need to return to those tenets.

Senate District N

David Wilson, Republican (incumbent)

Personal: David Wilson now represents the greater Wasilla area in the State Senate. Prior to serving in the Senate, he served on Wasilla’s city council. David is married to a lifelong Alaskan who grew up on the Lower Yukon River. He has degrees in education, psychology, and an MBA with a concentration in health service administration. He is a motivated, personable business professional with diverse experience.

Professional: Wilson has taught throughout the Alaska in rural communities and provided technical assistance to Alaska’s Community Health Clinics and other safety net providers. He has worked in behavioral health field for eleven years, in working with children and families, teens and adults. He specialized in working with youth and crisis intervention. More recently Wilson was the director of a domestic violence and sexual assault program.

Why I am running: “A strong economy means a healthy future for Alaska. I want to ensure our region remains competitive in economic development and job creation. This includes continuing to advocate for responsible investment in infrastructure and resource development. Mat-Su road projects are still important. Safe roads will lead to safer communities where people can move goods and services. “I am proud to have help lead the effort and the heavy lifting to keep the KGB project alive and was able to get the funding with other colleagues to increase road projects in the Mat-Su,” Wilson said.

Scott Clayton, Republican

Personal: Lived in Alaska 18 years in Eagle River and Wasilla; My wife, Morgan and I have two children, Russell and Eliza. I served as a forward observer in the United States Marine Corps.

Education and professional: Awarded the Heber J. Grant Scholarship while Studying Business at Brigham Young University in Idaho; to pay for schooling, started a commercial window washing company. “Operating the business contained as equally valuable lessons as classes on campus,” Clayton said.

Clayton said he has always enjoyed working hard and learning more about Alaska’s industries, which lead him to various jobs such as commercial fishing in King Salmon or working throughout remote Alaska installing digital technology. “These were jobs that gave me special insight into Alaska’s rich culture and diverse landscape,” he said.

Why I am running: “My friends, Alaska has been good to my family and me from the start. While I was serving in the Marine Corps, I felt Alaska shifting left which worried me because I didn’t want to raise my family in a Portland, Oregon or a New York. I wanted to come home to the Alaska I love. I was raised in a conservative home with traditional values — values that seem to be disappearing. This past year I had the opportunity to substitute teach for various schools in the Mat-Su Valley, which opened my eyes to many of the challenges students and teachers face. Children fall to the bar we set and right now we have set the bar so low that they have become casual about their education. I saw the frustration in our educators who feel that their hands are tied. It has stirred me to action to protect the land I love, advocate for policies that preserve the Alaskan way of life, and strengthen us within.

Stephen Wright, Republican

Personal: Stephen Wright is a retired real estate investor, who has lived in Wasilla since 2009 and prior to that Hyder, in Southeast Alaska, and Anchorage. He and his wife, Jessica, have five children: Ryan, Andrew, Alex, Pierce and Justin.

Wright attended Wayland Baptist University and holds an MBA in Healthcare Administration. He also attended Parks University and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Managerial Accounting. Wright served in the U.S. Air Force for 22 years.

Why I am running: “I’m a conservative; Pro-Life, Pro-2nd Amendment, and Pro-Economy. The reason why I’m running for State Senate in District N is that I’m concerned with what’s happening in our state and I hope to change it. I believe our private economy has been throttled since Governor Walker vetoed our dividends in 2016 and Alaska Legislature capped our PFD in 2017-2022.”

“Our state should abide the PFD law written in the state statute to follow Hammond’s 50/50 formula and five-year average that was originally set up for dividends to distribute: the people and the government shall have a 50/50 split; now our government is overreaching for our dividends to change the formula which must remain earnings-based. I plan to restore and protect the PFD according to the original formula.

Issues of concern: “The bloated budget that our current state Legislature is operating. I believe it will jeopardize our state’s future by a big, bloated budget which is not sustainable, overburdening us. Growing government will suppress our private sector which is now happening since the PFD “theft” and COVID-19 pandemic. I would like to balance the budget and put our state on the right track. I want to develop our natural resources to bring back prosperity and return public jobs to the private sector where they can be done more efficiently.”

Senate District O

Mike Shower, Republican (incumbent)

Personal: “I am a 24-year military veteran, commercial airline pilot and a current state senator for the last 5 years representing District E. With redistricting I would be representing district O which includes Big Lake and Knik-Goose Bay as well as much of the previous district E including the north part of the MatSu valley proper; Willow, Houston, Talkeetna, Denali, Healy, Sutton, Eureka, Valdez, and the Copper Valley.”

“I’ve lived in the district almost 13 years and been an Alaskan resident since 1993. I’ve been married almost 32 years to my wife Michelle and we have three children and three grandchildren.”

Why I am running: “In the simplest terms, my children and grandchildren. I want to leave them a state that’s economically stable and sustainable, and a place where they want to stay and live with their families. I want them to have a strong and vibrant economy, private sector, education system, modern infrastructure, health care and low crime, and great recreational opportunities to enjoy this beautiful state.”

“I want to make sure we put ourselves on that path as a state and ensure our state government is a part of the solution, with a sustainable and comprehensive fiscal policy. I have been key player in creating and pushing for that policy and want to finish the job we started over the last few years.

On qualifications: “I bring 24 years of worldwide military command, operational, test and training and joint staff leadership to the table. I have over 12 years of experience in the private sector as an international cargo pilot as well over a decade working for a small business in Alaska.”

“My educational background is extensive with a bachelor of science from the Air Force Academy, and a master’s in business and numerous military leadership and educational programs. Combine all of this with 5 years as a state senator and I bring the right mix of experience and expertise at the right time to help solve Alaska’s issues.”

“I was a key legislator in repealing the failed soft-on-crime bill Senate Bill 91 and enacting (subsequent) criminal justice reform legislation. I’ve proposed numerous budget reductions that would reduce several hundred million dollars in costs through efficiencies and non-essential spending. I’ve introduced budget amendments for the statutory PFD including, this year, providing the largest PFD in Alaska’s history using the original statutory formula. I was a key member of the 2021 fiscal policy working group which provides a path forward for a comprehensive and sustainable balanced budget for Alaska moving forward.

Issues of concern: “We must have a balanced budget and sustainable and comprehensive fiscal policy to put this state on a path to success. If we want to be open for business and economic growth, we must show we can get our fiscal house in order. Sexual assault is still an epidemic we must address as is drug and alcohol abuse. We must continue to responsibly develop our resources with both existing and new projects.”

Doug Massie, Republican

Personal: “I am a 25-year retired Alaska Wildlife Trooper Colonel, a small business owner in the hospitality industry in the Knik Goose Bay area. I have been resident of the District my entire life with a few temporary trooper assignments in other parts of Alaska. My wife Misty and I have three children, two grown and one in middle school.

Why I am running: “I am running to make our communities safe by ensuring adequate law enforcement, supported by a strong criminal justice system. I will practice fiscal conservatism that recognizes our need for a balanced and sustainable budget. I will encourage a stable, diversified economy that attracts new investment through reduced regulation and predictable business policy. I will work towards increased access to trade and tech schools; and educational excellence for every student in an accountable, results focused environment.”

On my qualifications: “As a small business owner I know and understand ‘trickle-down’ economics, and how they affect everyday Alaskans. I will work to restore a more stable, predictable, diverse economy. Additionally, my background in Public Safety ib managing large budgets and hundreds of personnel has provided me valuable insight into the State of Alaska’s government and budgetary processes, all of which will be useful in the Legislature.”

“My experience protecting Alaska’s natural resources for 25 years and a lifetime of personal resource use has helped me to know and understand the importance of sustainable management of our fish and game. I have learned in a long public safety career to listen to people, to cautiously assess situations involving strong disagreement and turmoil, and to act with courage, self-control and decisiveness. I will bring this same approach to my work representing you in Juneau and throughout Alaska.

An issue of concern: “After meeting with hundreds of constituents and dozens of local organizations in Senate District O, it is clear to me that lawmakers need to deal with the human trafficking problem in Alaska. If I am elected I will take a strong look at the problem and come up with meaningful solutions on how to address it.”