Nick Begich’s true colors are shining through By APE Editor September 27, 2022 Alaska is in the heat of campaign season. A contested race with growing national attention is for the federal House of Representatives. Mary Peltola, a rural Alaskan Democrat, won the special election to serve the remaining months of the late Congressman Don Young’s seat. November 8th’s General Election decides who gets to serve the full two-year term. A notable facet of Alaska’s congressional race is that one Republican challenger suggests he’s being positive in his messaging to voters while acc ..read more

The inconvenience of truth By Frank Dahl August 15, 2022 Facts matter. At least, they should. I heard congressional candidate Nick Begich’s latest radio ad today and could only shake my head in disbelief. Begich is attacking former Governor Sarah Palin with disparagements. I guess that’s the strategy used when you’re behind in an election or you have nothing substantive to say. Tearing down opponents is a growing, disappointing trend. I’m doubtful it resonates with hardworking Alaskans who simply want a better, stable life for their families. The radio begins with these lines: “Alas ..read more

Suppression of conservative turnout by democrats is a successful strategy used for years to flip close elections.  Generally, the tactic is some version of an attempt to make the case to conservatives that things are so bad, that they are so few in numbers, so far out of the mainstream, that it would be a waste of time to show up and vote.  The media did this the night of the 2000 National Election by calling Florida for algore before polls in the panhandle closed.  This successfully kept tens of thousands of Republican voters home and almost flipped the state and in turn the en ..read more

By APE Staff April 8, 2022 Senator Joe Manchin praises Senator Lisa Murkowski on energy and Arctic policy leadership   As over 600 policymakers, advocates, dignitaries, and diplomats launch the 2022 Arctic Encounter Symposium in Anchorage, Alaska, at center-stage stand West Virginia U.S. Senator Joe Manchin and Alaska’s senior federal delegation member, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski. Particularly over the last decade, Arctic policy has gained the attention of the global community as sea ice melts and Democracy-hostile nations like China and Russia inch their way into the region with ..read more

For the first time in 3 years, Favorite Son and I made our annual trek to the Great Alaska Sportsman Show.  This year the location here in Anchorage was in the Dena’ina Convention Center.  Parking was left to the discretion of the attendee, and the hours changed.  Total attendance appeared to be down significantly from 2019, the last year it was held, as were the number of vendors partaking.  All in all, it was great to simply attend our annual rite of spring after the Zombie Apocalypse. As usual, I did see some notable things, which, viewed through a persuasion glass may o ..read more

We here in Alaska have a real history of looking a gift horse in the mouth and ignoring it, instead choosing to chase the fabulous promise of the unicorn just over the other side of the hill.  This has led to some horrendous economic decisions, spending federal, state, and private money freely with little in return.  A 2011 ADN piece by Craig Medred updated five years later listed the Point Mac Dairy Project, Anchorage Seafood Plant, Prinz Brau Brewery, Healy Clean Coal, Airport Railroad Depot, and dairy and barley farming as examples of this sort of foolishness.  It is the gift ..read more

By Paulette Simpson Sunday, February 6, 2021 President Lincoln, back in 1864, felt it “not best to swap horses while crossing the river” when it came to his nomination for a second term as President.   He never suggested himself the epitome of greatness, but his efforts and notable management of the nation and command of the Union troops were skillsets that kept the North stable enough to ultimately win the Civil War. Lincoln’s phrase is apropos today, as Alaskan Republicans face a looming shadow of Independent and Democratic candidate challengers, polemic political blogs and s ..read more

Latest round of the blood sport that the democrat and union led majority in the Alaska House is engaged in is an attempted removal of Representative David Eastman from committee assignments.  Rationale for this is membership in an organization of former military and law enforcement called Oath Keepers. And their excuse for going after Oath Keepers?  It took the Harris – Xiden Department of Justice a mere year to indict its leader and 10 other members for sedition in connection with the Jan 6, 2021, protests. In the eyes of the House majority, mere membership in the organization confe ..read more

The inconvenience of truth By Frank Dahl August 15, 2022 Facts matter. At least, they should. I heard congressional candidate Nick Begich’s latest radio ad today and could only shake my head in disbelief. Begich is attacking former Governor Sarah Palin with disparagements. I guess that’s the strategy used when you’re behind in an election or you have nothing substantive to say. Tearing down opponents is a growing, disappointing trend. I’m doubtful it resonates with hardworking Alaskans who simply want a better, stable life for their families. The radio begins with these lines: “Alas ..read more

Suppression of conservative turnout by democrats is a successful strategy used for years to flip close elections.  Generally, the tactic is some version of an attempt to make the case to conservatives that things are so bad, that they are so few in numbers, so far out of the mainstream, that it would be a waste of time to show up and vote.  The media did this the night of the 2000 National Election by calling Florida for algore before polls in the panhandle closed.  This successfully kept tens of thousands of Republican voters home and almost flipped the state and in turn the en ..read more