Wasilla mayor may run against ex-campaign manager

June 7, 2005

KATE GOLDEN/Frontiersman reporter

WASILLA - City council member Diana Straub has filed a letter of intent with the Alaska Public Offices Commission to run as a candidate in Wasilla's upcoming municipal election.

"Yes, I intend to run for mayor," Straub said Friday night. She said she did not wish to comment further about her candidacy, until Monday's city council meeting.

The filing allows Straub to run for mayor of Wasilla in this year's Oct. 4 election. Straub has expressed her intention to run for mayor in the past, but previously pointed to the 2008 elections.

Other than the APOC filing, she had not publicly divulged her intention to run for office this year. Candidate registration with the city of Wasilla opens in July.

Straub began her political career in 2002, as Dianne M. Keller's campaign manager. When Keller won that October, the council appointed Straub to Keller's newly vacated council seat.

Keller filed her intent to run again for the office on Dec. 15, 2004.

Straub has been a Valley resident since the late 1980s. She worked for 16 years in the beauty industry. Recently, she worked in the Juneau office of Valley Rep. Mark Neuman, R-District 15, for part of the Alaska Legislature's session earlier this year.

Candidates for state or municipal office in a municipality of more than 1,000 people must register and file campaign disclosure reports with APOC.

Straub almost neglected to make her announcement at Monday night's special Wasilla City Council meeting. After allowing the special meeting to adjourn Monday, Straub remembered she had one additional comment to make to the body.

"Wait a minute, I have one more thing. I want to tell the council that I have submitted the paperwork with APOC to examine the possibilities of running for mayor," she said. "I want to explore the possibility of running for mayor in October. Thus, I submitted all the necessary paperwork with APOC. I want to hear what the people want and where they stand on the issues. And see if there is support of my candidacy."

Council Member Howard O'Neil said Monday night that he wished Straub luck in her campaign.

"It's good, I think everybody should take the opportunity to run for office if that is what they desire. It still hasn't settled in just yet," he said of Straub's announcement. "She has been an effective member of the council and handles herself in a professional manner. I wish her luck in her campaign."

O'Neil said he didn't believe there would be tension between Straub and Keller while doing city business between now and October.

"I know that Mayor Keller is planning on running for re-election, so it looks like we will have two candidates on the council. I respect both individuals and they are both very professional and I don't foresee any problems arising during council meetings," he said.

Contact Kate Golden at 352-2284 or kate.golden@frontiersman.com.