Peninsula Clarion, November 05, 2014

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Surge

Magic

Republicans take control of Senate

Whip up a meringue

Nation/A-6

Food/B-1

CLARION

Snow, rain 36/19 More weather on Page A-2

P E N I N S U L A

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2014 Kenai Peninsula, Alaska

Vol. 45, Issue 31

Question Where do you get your health insurance coverage? n I’ve signed up through the exchange n I have coverage from my employer n I’m covered under another program n I don’t have health insurance To place your vote and comment, visit our Web site at www. peninsulaclarion. com.

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Sullivan leading in Senate race By BECKY BOHRER Associated Press

Ballot measures pass; Young holds off challenge from Dunbar

ANCHORAGE — Republican U.S. Senate candidate Dan Sullivan held an early lead over Democratic Sen. Mark Begich Tuesday night in Alaska’s hotly contested race. Tens of millions of dollars were pumped into the high-stakes race, with Republicans seeing Begich as vulnerable. The number of early votes cast in the election, which included the governor’s race and a ballot measure to legalize marijuana, surpassed 2010, when

— See Page A-5

there was another high-profile Senate race in Alaska, and the 2012 presidential race. The GOP needed to pick up six seats nationally to regain control of the chamber and did so Tuesday, as polls were about to close in Alaska. Begich, who was behind in results on election night in 2008, told supporters packed into an Anchorage restaurant

that it would be a long night. “It might be a long week,” he said. It was possible the outcome of the race may not be known until absentee ballots are counted next week. Both Begich and Sullivan were out and about in Anchorage, waving signs and greeting supporters. Sullivan also got an unexpected call from his old boss, former President George W. Bush. Sullivan was an assistant secretary of state in the Bush administration. In recent days, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and former presidential candidate Mitt Romney were in Alaska to rally sup-

port for Sullivan. Begich shook hands with as many people as possible and deployed his wife and mother to outlying communities as part of his get-out-thevote effort. “How can you not feel good after something like that?” Sullivan said of the rally with Romney Monday that attracted a large crowd. “That’s energy. That’s Alaskans who are energized. You know, the Dems talk about ground game. We’ll see. That looked like a pretty powerful ground game to me yesterday. Both sides felt good about their

WalkerParnell too close to call

Elections State of Alaska General Election Unofficial results with 325 of 441 precincts reporting Ballot Measure 2 (legalizing marijuana) Yes................................... 52.11 No.................................... 31.70 Ballot Measure 3 (increasing the minimum wage) Yes...................................68.30 No.................................... 31.70

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By RACHEL D’ORO Associated Press

approval of mining in Bristol Bay Fisheries Reserve) Yes...................................65.47 No....................................34.53 U.S. Senator Mark Begich (D)..............44.08 Mark Fish (Lib)...................3.60 Dan Sullivan (R)..............49.92 U.S. Representative Jim McDermott (Lib).......... 7.59 Don Young (R)................. 51.39 Forrest Dunbar (D)...........40.59 Governor/Lt. Governor Carolyn Clift/Andrew Lee (Lib).. ..........................................2.91 J.R. Myers/Maria Rensel (AK Con)...................................2.25 Sean Parnell/Dan Sullivan (R).. ........................................46.84 Bill Walker/Byron Mallott (NA)... ........................................ 47.72 State Senator Senate District O Peter Micciche (R)........... 77.40 Eric Treider (D)................. 22.01 Senate District P Gary Stevens (R) ............72.46 Robert Henrichs (D).........27.12 House District 29 Mike Chenault (R)............76.72 Rocky Knudsen (D).........22.46 House District 30 Kurt Olson (R) ................73.71 Shauna Thornton (D).......25.76 House District 31 Paul Seaton (R)................97.19

Index Opinion.................. A-4 Nation.................... A-6 World..................... A-8 Sports...................A-10 Food...................... B-1 Classifieds............. B-3 Comics................... B-7 Check us out online at www.peninsulaclarion.com To subscribe, call 283-3584.

See RACE, page A-5

Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion

Ben Heaverley, of Soldotna, votes for the first time Tuesday at the Kenai Peninsula Borough Administration Building in Soldotna. His father, George Heaverley accompanied him into the booth.

Races drive peninsula voters By RASHAH McCHESNEY, DAN BALMER, KELLY SULLIVAN and BEN BOETTGER Peninsula Clarion

For the first time in his life, Ben Heaverley voted in Soldotna on Tuesday evening. The 24-year-old Soldotna man’s father, George Heaverley, accompanied him into the booth and the two spoke quietly about the candidates, the issues and,

ultimately, how Ben Heaverley decided to cast his vote. A steady stream of people filled the booths around him and several polling locations reported higher-than-normal voter turnouts on election day. At the Challenger Learning Center, in Kenai, more than 500 voters cast their ballots, said volunteer Carl Glick. “Normally, we are in the 300s here,” he said. “At least 150 more people came

out than is normal.” Also in Kenai, Carol Freas at the Old Kenai Mall, said more than 950 people had turned up to vote. While the number is significantly more than the average for local elections, it is not unusual for gubernatorial and state races to raise awareness and voter interest, Freas said. Several smaller communities saw See VOTERS, page A-5

ANCHORAGE (AP) — Independent candidate Bill Walker held a razor thin lead over Republican incumbent Sean Parnell, but the Alaska governor’s race remained too close to call late Tuesday. Walker maintained a lead most of the evening, but the advantage waned as the night progressed. Both candidates have steered clear of interpreting the counts, although Walker said the returns were exciting. “We’re pleased to be in the lead, but we recognize that it’s early, so we’ll see as the night progresses how that maintains,” he said early in the evening. “But if someone has to be in the lead, we’d rather it’d be us, obviously.” Parnell also noted it was too early to say where the vote was going. “I’m in a place where we’re going to wait and see what more votes look like,” he said, adding he was feeling good. “We’ve See CLOSE, page A-12

Micciche, Chenault, Olson headed back to Juneau Micciche, Stevens return to Senate

Chenault wins District Olson takes House 29 by a landslide seat for the sixth time

By DAN BALMER Peninsula Clarion

By RASHAH MCCHESNEY Peninsula Clarion

By KELLY SULLIVAN Peninsula Clarion

Sen. Peter Micciche received his ticket back to Juneau Tuesday. Three out of every four voters in Senate District O favored Micciche, R-Soldotna, over his non-affiliated challenger Eric Treider. With all precincts reporting, Micciche received 77 percent of the votes with 8,134 total. Treider, a Soldotna resident, garnished a total of 2313 votes for 22 percent. Also Tuesday Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, was elected to Senate District P with 71 percent of the vote over Robert “Moose” Henrichs from Cordova. Micciche, 52, said he is “pleased and humbled” to receive the support from the district and looks forward to spending more time with people to understand their priorities before he returns for the 29th Legislative session. “I’ve certainly spent a lot of time and energy reaching out to folks and asking for feedback,” he said. “I’m committed to serving people the way they expect to be served.” He said his focus in the next legislative session is to tighten the state operating and capital budget. “We will essentially need to dissect the budget and

Mike Chenault has been a state representative in Alaska for 14 years and, for the third time since 2010, he successfully defended his seat against a challenger. With nearly 77 percent of the vote in 11 precincts on Tuesday, Chenault, a Republican, carried House District 29. Democratic challenger Rocky Knudsen garnered just over 22 percent of the more than 5,500 votes cast. “It’s good to know that the folks in my district, I guess, still believe that I’m doing the things that they want me to do,” Chenault said from an election-night party at the Egan Center in Anchorage. The now 8-term representative said he also plans to run for Speaker of the House again. Chenault was first elected as Speaker in 2009 and is the longest running Speaker in the state’s history. That decision will likely happen later in the week, Chenault said. “We’ll get organized here in the next few days and see if I’ve got enough votes,” he said. For some who support Chenault, they’d like to see him go further than the state house.

Rep. Kurt Olson, R-Soldotna has been re-elected for a sixth term in the Alaska State House. Representing District 30, Olson received 3,869 votes, winning 74 percent in six out of six reporting precincts on Tuesday’s general election. Olson’s opponent, Democratic candidate Shauna Thornton, received 1,352 votes, winning 25 percent. Olson said he commended Thornton for her positive, first-time campaigning. “We ran one of the cleanest races in the state,” Olson said. “We both ran on the issues and there was little negative advertising.” Olson considers his progressive advocacy for workers compensation to be his biggest achievement from his years in Juneau, he said in a previous Clarion interview. He said he wanted to return and tie up some loose ends left over from the last session. During his next term Olson said he predicts local developments in the oil and gas industry with the pending Alaska LNG project, and the pressure of revenue cuts will be two of the biggest issues the house will be faced with. Olson and Thornton both went on foot during their campaigns, knocking on doors and talking to central

See 29, page A-12

See 30, page A-12

See SENATE, page A-12 C

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