PUBLISHER'S NOTEBOOK: Blame Republicans, not Walker for Dunleavy replacement fiasco

When Governor Walker announced that Mat-Su Borough Assemblyman Randall Kowalke was his choice to fill the state Senate seat vacated by Wasilla Republican Mike Dunleavy, the reaction was swift and defiant. Kowalke was not on the list of three submitted to Walker by Tuckerman Babcock, Chair of the Alaska Republican Party.

Our Regional Managing Editor Matt Hickman and I met with Babcock the day after the Republican Party District 9 and 10 decided on the three names. The purpose of the meeting was initially about other projects, but the District’s choices to replace the gubernatorial hopeful were discussed. When Babcock revealed the names of the three chosen, I had immediate reactions to each.

George Rauscher. ‘That makes sense; he’s a sitting representative’.

Todd Smoldon. ‘Good for Todd. He’s been a steady guest columnist for the Frontiersman pretty much since I got here in 2016.

Tom Braund. ‘Who?’

When I asked around to political insiders about Tom Braund the response was owlishly the same.

What choice did they give Walker?

Of the three names, Rauscher was probably the only one given any consideration by the governor.

But the District 9 representative probably sabotaged his chances when he posted a note on his office door that it was a ‘BDSM Free Zone’. This was is in reference to Rep. Zach Fansler (D-Bethel), who at the time was being called out to resign after it was alleged he had struck a woman so hard it ruptured her eardrum. In a text message conversation between Fansler and the victim, Fansler apologized and in the text message said he “was sorry that he brought his ’bdsm kink’ out.”

Rauscher’s posting the sign was in poor taste and with Juneau dealing with an onslaught of immature acts lately, it surely eliminated him of any consideration.

Todd Smoldon is smart, articulate and entrenched in conservative values. Walker appointing him to the seat would have been the equivalent of having Dunleavy remain as Senator while being free to campaign for Walker’s position. Walker was never going to consider Smoldon — he’s a teacher who commutes each day from Willow to Anchorage — and the Republicans should have known that his lack of political experience would likely disqualify him in the governor’s eyes.

Tom Braund is retired from public safety and lives in Sutton. Braund is a conservative’s conservative. After his name was selected as a finalist he declined an interview with Alaska Public Radio stating he doesn’t trust the media. Speaking with the media is part of the gig if you’re going to be a state senator responsive to your constituents.

How could Walker even consider someone like that?

How did we get here?

District 9 and 10 came together in mid-January to select the three names from a list of 11. District 10 is led by Doyle Holmes. Randall Kowalke was on the list of 11. The selection committee whittled the list down to five. When Kowalke didn’t make the list of three, I was surprised, but when I learned he didn’t even make the list of five, I was shocked. That was until I did a little research to find that not only did Holmes and Kowalke have a heated political race for the Mat-Su Borough District 7 assembly seat a couple year back — ultimately won by Kowalke by just 33 votes — but they have a heated history in court, as well.

Bad Blood

Kowalke’s and Holmes’ feud can be traced back to a lawsuit in 2012 over a rental that the Kowalkes moved into in 2009. Kowalke sued Willow Area Seniors Inc.

You can find the full story at Frontiersman.com. Doyle Holmes was named in the lawsuit. The testimony in the depositions were ugly. The fact of the matter is the two don’t like each other. As the District 10 leader Holmes had an influence on the proceedings in which the three names were selected, it’s not a reach to assume that Holmes would not have wanted Kowalke on the list of three.

Back to the drawing board, maybe.

If the Senate doesn’t confirm Kowalke it could be that District E will not have a sitting Senator this session. According to published reports Kowalke considers himself a lifetime Republican and a conservative. He was a member of the “Teenagers for Goldwater” group. He’s a respected Mat-Su Borough Assembly member and the Senate should confirm him so District E has representation. The seat is up for election this fall and if Kolwalke demonstrates that he will not vote with the Republican Majority Caucus, then his term as Senator will be short lived.