Legislator files for Senate seat

JUNEAU -- After a difficult year by any standards, Rep. Scott Ogan, R-Palmer, announced Wednesday his intent to run for the Senate seat currently occupied by Senate President Rick Halford, R-Chugiak.

Halford, as part of an end-of-session tradition in which the Senate president is presented with a gift from other senators in recognition of service during the legislature, announced his intent to retire. This term marks Halford's 24th year of service in the legislature.

Ogan, who was rousted out of bed Tuesday night for an emergency vote on whether or not to extend the legislative session, said he was encouraged by several senators to file for the seat. He withdrew his intent to run for the new Butte-Lazy Mountain-Chickaloon House seat and filed for the Senate seat that will cover the same area. The seat will also cover portions of Chugiak, Peter's Creek, Willow, Talkeetna and the north Valley area.

"There's been speculation about Rick retiring for the last two elections," Ogan said. "It was a pretty real possibility … [and] I was prepared to make the decision last night."

Ogan said he feels his philosophies fit well with Halford's, in that both stand against tapping into permanent fund dollars and instituting taxes and both are in favor of reducing spending. Moreover, Ogan said, he feels he would be more effective in the Senate than the House.

"Now that the House is out of the closet on their liberal philosophies in terms of tax and spend," Ogan said, "… it's been extremely frustrating to be a minority within the majority. I think I can be more effective in the Senate, where there're like-minded people."

Although Ogan has been hard hit by health problems this session, he said his rapid and continuous recovery will be a boon in the future.

"Do I want to … withdraw and be afraid to engage?" Ogan asked. "Absolutely not, I think that would be the worst thing for my recovery. I'm feeling great -- I can't believe how good I feel. I have to operate within the parameters of my level of endurance, but that literally increases every day."