Masek eyes leadership position

MAT-SU -- Rep. Beverly Masek said she's hoping to step into the key leadership position vacated by new U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski when she accepted the D.C. appointment.

"Since Lisa got appointed, I've given it quite a bit of thought," Masek said. "After all of that shake-up, I put my name in the ring."

Masek said she heard rumors that other representatives were interested in the seat as well, but only knew of two people who made their bid for the position public -- Rep. Gary Stevens of Kodiak and Rep. John Coghill, R-Fairbanks.

Masek said a key reason for her decision was her belief that, with a crop of new freshmen coming into the House, she has a key quality of the House majority leader.

"There's a big field of freshmen legislators," Masek said. "It will be critical to have someone with experience and knowledge to help them."

She added that, with only six women in the House, just two are in leadership positions as standing committee chairs.

"As both a woman and Alaska Native, if selected as majority leader, I would bring a solid understanding of issues facing both rural and urban Alaskans and would foster understanding, diversity, growth and development within the House leadership," Masek said.

Masek said her experience, both in the House and outside, will serve the House well during the upcoming session. A position of power, she said, could be beneficial to the Mat-Su.

"What it would mean for the Valley is, we would have a pretty major role as far as statewide issues are concerned," Masek said. "There's going to be some pretty challenging issues we're going to face."

Subsistence, the budget and other items will be on the table before legislators, Masek said, and the person who secures the seat of majority leader will have a sizable task.

"A majority leader would pretty much keep the legislative majority flowing when we are in session," Masek said. "With three separate branches of government, we have to all try to work together."

Masek said Thursday she was making calls to other majority members, discussing her bid. The Republican Caucus will convene Sunday, she said, to make the decision as to who should hold the position. Masek said if she doesn't get the seat, she plans to ask for a seat on the House Finance Committee. Both Stevens and Coghill hold seats on the committee, so if she doesn't get the leadership position, she feels a second seat on the Finance committee would serve the Valley well. Newly elected Rep. Bill Stoltze, R-Chugiak, currently has a seat on the committee but his seat, Masek said, doesn't cover Palmer, Wasilla and the north end of the Valley.

"We'll know by the end of Sunday," Masek said.

Either way, Masek said she was ready to get down to business in Juneau. The session begins on Tuesday, so she planned to leave for Juneau Friday. Eric Musser, her chief staffer, was in Juneau Thursday getting things set up.