Palin tosses hat in ring

Oct. 11, 2005

MARK KELSEY\Frontiersman managing editor

Months of speculation about the political future of Sarah Palin can be laid to rest - at least for the short term.

The former Wasilla mayor and a GOP 2002 primary candidate for lieutenant governor filed a letter of intent Monday afternoon with the Alaska Public Offices Commission to seek statewide office in 2006. Which office she will seek - and whether she will do so on a party ticket - are questions that remain a mystery. The longtime Republican said she will decide in the coming months whether she will run for governor or lieutenant governor, and if she will do so as a Republican or an independent.

&#8221I don't know yet if my run is for governor or lieutenant governor. I haven't ruled out any of the scenarios that people have been rumoring about,“ said Palin, who has been mentioned as a possible ticket mate with Andrew Halcro, a Republican who is expected to make an independent bid for governor. &#8221I just want to do what is right for Alaska. If that means running as an independent for lieutenant governor, then I'll do it.“

Halcro, a former Anchorage legislator who has not made an official announcement about his own intentions, said he has great respect for Palin's emphasis on issues of ethics and open, accountable government. Like Palin, he would not rule out the possibility of a joint campaign.

&#8221She would be a great addition. Those issues are things we both feel strongly about, and I think the public is there, too,“ he said. &#8221I think it's great what Sarah has done.“

Since her first foray into statewide politics in 2002, when she nearly won the lieutenant governorship despite not having the party's financial or infrastructural support, Palin has made a name for herself as someone willing to challenge party leadership. She criticized Republican party chair Randy Ruedrich in 2003 for conducting party business at his state job and was later a vocal critic of former attorney general Gregg Renkes, who resigned four months after news reports revealed his financial and personal ties to KFx, a company that stood to gain from negotiations he was making on behalf of the state in a coal deal with Taiwan.

Renkes owned more than $120,000 in KFx stock while working on the Taiwan deal.

Rep. Eric Croft, an Anchorage Democrat and a 2006 candidate for governor who, with Palin, challenged the conclusions of a former U.S. attorney Gov. Frank Murkowski appointed last year to investigate the Renkes matter, called Palin a &#8221bright and honest“ person who would be a popular candidate.

&#8221Sarah has been a leader in trying to restore ethical government to Alaska. I think that's badly needed,“ Croft said. &#8221I think Sarah is very popular with the rank-and-file Republicans, she's just unpopular with the corrupt leadership they have. I hope she doesn't let their antagonism stop her from cleaning up her party.“

Palin said part of her journey in the coming months will be determining if she should remain with the GOP in an effort to restore what she says is lost public trust.

&#8221I stand strong on the planks of the Republican platform,“ she said. &#8221But my gut tells me to run as an independent, because the party machine will no doubt make this run very difficult.“

Ethan Berkowitz, another Anchorage Democrat running for governor, said the reasons Palin may not get the support of her party are the same ones that make her a good candidate. &#8221At what point are you going to put personal integrity above party loyalty? I think Sarah has shown a lot of political courage by standing up to her party for their ethical problems,“ he said. &#8221She's a strong candidate. It's a pleasure to have her in the race.“

Republican Party of Alaska chair Randy Ruedrich could not be reached for comment Monday. Former state Republican party chair Tuckerman Babcock on Monday referred questions to Roy Burkhart, a Willow resident who is District 15's representative on the state Republican party's central committee. Burkhart said he had no opinion about Palin's candidacy and her position with the GOP.

Six-term Republican Rep. Vic Kohring, who represents the Wasilla area in the Legislature and has known Palin personally for 30 years, said it's possible for her to gain party support if neither Gov. Frank Murkowski nor Lt. Gov. Loren Leman decide to run again. Either way, Kohring agreed Palin is a good addition to the political mix for 2006.

&#8221I think there's people who would support Sarah and like her for what she believes in,“ he said. &#8221She's got good values, and she's a person of integrity. She's very honest and sincere.“

Palin said it is important to her that people trust their government again. She said too many elected officials are out of touch with what Alaskans expect from their government.

She used the example of the proposed ethics bill, authored by Fairbanks Sen. Ralph Seekins and passed by the state Senate, as evidence of an overreaching government. The bill, which was originally conceived to close the loophole that allowed Renkes to stay within the law while being in a position to profit from his state work, would impose a fine on anyone who talks about filing an ethics complaint against a government official.

&#8221It's appalling. That the bill passed the Senate already shows me that Alaskans can do better,“ Palin said. &#8221Elected representatives need to start walking the walk and not just talking the talk about open government. I think the public still has a healthy sense of distrust of the processes in state government.“