Election Returns

Progressive and Moderate Candidates Dominate BronsonBacked Conservatives in Early Election Returns

BY YARROW SILVERS

Anchorage residents resoundingly rejected extremism in Tuesday’s municipal election, showing strong support for moderate and progressive candidates. Less than two years after Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson’s election, Anchorage voters showed their staunch support for candidates who reject his agenda and actively oppose his leadership.

“People want competency,” political consultant Jim Lottsfeldt said of the results.

Progressive and moderate candidates, both incumbents and newcomers, took double-digit leads Tuesday, which held Wednesday when more ballots were tab-

Creek Group, que dirigió varias de las campañas. “Simplemente estamos rechazando rotundamente a Bronson”.

Brian Flynn, quizás el candidato más estrechamente alineado con el alcalde y quien ha sido nombrado para dos comisiones por el mismo, es esposo de la directora de compras bajo la administración de Bronson, y Bronson organizó la primera recaudación de fondos para su campaña. Curiosamente, Bronson nunca respaldó oficialmente a Flynn, algo que Flynn señaló específicamente a los medios. Los resultados iniciales muestran que Flynn está detrás de la candidata progresista Anna Brawley por unos 23 puntos.

“Una vez que la gente se dio cuenta de que Flynn está casado con la directora de compras de Bronson, las cosas cambiaron bastante rápido”, dijo Slomski-Pritz.

Lottsfeldt dijo que los resultados son un claro referéndum sobre Bronson y la manera en que ha administrado la ciudad.

“La gente va a estar tan desesperada después de Bronson por tener a alguien que diga ‘Sí, puedo limpiar la nieve de las calles’”.

En South Anchorage, que eligió al conservador Randy Sulte en 2022 sobre el titular moderado John Weddleton, el candidato Zac Johnson quien es nuevo en la política y es también moderado, tiene una ventaja de ulated. The leading candidates appear to have pulled off a clean sweep of Assembly seats within the Anchorage bowl. Incumbent Anchorage School Board member Andy Holleman also took a near 11-point lead over Bronson-backed Mark Anthony Cox. While votes continue to be counted, the probable wins will allow the majority to retain the ability to override mayoral vetoes.

“I wouldn’t have predicted the size of the leads,” said Ira Slomski-Pritz of Ship Creek Group, which ran several of the campaigns. “We are just resoundingly rejecting Bronson.”

Brian Flynn, perhaps the candidate most closely aligned with the mayor, has been appointed to two commissions by Bronson. His wife is Bronson’s purchasing director, and Bronson hosted his first campaign fundraiser. Oddly, Bronson never officially endorsed Flynn, something Flynn specifically pointed out to the media. Initial results show Flynn trailing progressive candidate Anna Brawley by about 23 points.

“Once people realized that he was married to Bronson’s purchasing director, it really sort of came around pretty quickly,” Slomski-Pritz said.

11 puntos sobre la candidata respaldada por Bronson, Rachel Ries, quien tiene reconocimiento de nombre después de haber corrido como candidata para la junta escolar en 2022.

“Ese escaño realmente es el que teníamos que ganar”, dijo Slomski-Pritz. “No podíamos darlo por sentado en absoluto”.

En East Anchorage, donde hay dos escaños abiertos, otra candidata primeriza, Karen Bronga, residente de toda la vida de East Anchorage, aumentó a una ventaja de 20 puntos sobre su oponente, primeriza también, Leigh Sloan, defensora de la elección de escuelas y gerente de campaña para la fallida candidatura de Stephanie Taylor a la Asamblea en 2022.

En la otra carrera del lado este, el excandidato a la alcaldía George Martínez, quien anteriormente trabajó en la administración del alcalde Ethan Berkowitz, lidera por 12 puntos a Spencer Moore, director de alcance en el antiguo Templo Bautista de Anchorage y yerno del pastor actual que trató de distanciarse de Bronson.

Lottsfeldt said the results are a clear referendum on Bronson and his management of the city.

“People are going to be so desperate after Bronson to have someone that says ‘Yes, I can plow the streets.’”

In South Anchorage, which elected conservative Randy Sulte in 2022 over moderate incumbent John Weddleton, moderate newcomer Zac Johnson has an 11-point edge over Bronson-endorsed candidate, Rachel Ries, who had name recognition after a 2022 school board run.

“That really felt like the race to win,” Slomski-Pritz said. “We couldn’t take it for granted at all.”

In East Anchorage, where two seats are open, another first-time candidate Karen Bronga, a life-long East Anchorage resident, swelled to a 20-point lead over fellow first-timer Leigh Sloan, a school choice advocate and campaign manager for Stephanie Taylor’s failed 2022 Assembly run.

In the other eastside race, former mayoral candidate George Martinez, who previously worked in the administration of Mayor Ethan Berkowitz, is leading

En Midtown, el titular Félix Rivera, quien fue blanco de una dura campaña de ataque de último minuto por Bronson, tiene una cómoda ventaja de 12 puntos sobre Travis Szanto.

La elección puede señalar el final de una era polémica en la política local que comenzó con los conservadores atacando la respuesta de la Asamblea a la pandemia de COVID-19 y a los intentos por resolver la falta de vivienda.

Lottsfeldt, un veterano de la política de Alaska que ha apoyado a candidatos moderados y progresistas dijo que la bancada republicana hoy está compuesta en gran parte por candidatos más extremos, o lo que llamó la “rama de Jamie Allard del Partido Republicano”.

“Esos tipos no forman la mayoría”, dijo. “Vamos a vencerlos”.

Este artículo se publica en español e inglés en una colaboración entre The Alaska Current y Sol de Medianoche.

Spencer Moore, an outreach director at the former Anchorage Baptist Temple and son-in-law of the current pastor who tried to distance himself from Bronson, by 12 points.

In Midtown, incumbent Felix Rivera, who was the target of a heavy-handed, last-minute attack campaign from Bronson, has a comfortable 12-point lead over Travis Szanto.

The election may signal the end to a contentious era in local politics that began with conservatives weaponizing the Assembly’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and attempts to solve homelessness.

Lottsfeldt, a veteran of Alaska politics who has supported moderate and progressive candidates, said the Republican bench today is largely made up of more extreme candidates, or what he called the “Jamie Allard branch of the Republican party.”

“Those guys are not in the mainstream,” he said. “We’re going to beat them.”

This article is published in both Spanish and English in a collaboration between The Alaska Current and Sol de Medianoche.