Bradners’ Alaska Legislative Digest - Commentary on Alaska Issues Publishers: Mike Bradner, Tim Bradner (907) 440-6068 / 3037 South Circle Anchorage, AK 99507 / Fax: (907) 345-5683 Digest No. 38/20 August 28, 2020 The primary – Republicans eat their own; Organizations of House and Senate remain in doubt The counts continued this week as mailed ballots trickle in. The Republican bloodlet- ting attack on their own successfully killed off Senate President Cathy Giessel, R-Anchor- age, but failed narrowly to defeat two other senators: Sen. Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak and Sen. Natasha von Imhoff, R-Anchorage. Sen. John Coghill, R-North Pole trails by only eight votes. This leaves a probable Senate split of the 20-member body of seven Demo- crats and eight “non-coalition” Republicans (unlikely to organize with Democrats), but with five Republicans in the middle who could be part of a coalition.The eight non-coali- tion conservative Republicans will have to choose to either try to punish or court the five more moderate coalition-potential Republicans. Two other prominent moderates, Reps. Chuck Kopp and Jennifer Johnston, both of Anchorage, were also killed off. House: No matter what, marginal control In the House we see 17 Democrats and 19 Republicans, but Rep. David Eastman, R-Wasilla, a maverick among Republicans, won’t be considered a reliable parter in a Republican majority. There are four House seats still in contest. Regardless, the margin of control in the House will be close. These splits will give the minorities clout on "super-ma- jority” (two thirds or three-quarter) votes needed for certain legislation. House races at issue House races we see at issue in the general election includes House District 6 (Healy/ru- ral areas), left open by retiring Rep. David Talerico, R-Healy; the Anchorage seat left open by the defeat of Rep. Gabriel LeDoux, R-northeast Anchorage; the seat held by Rep. Mel Gillis, R-Anchorage, appointed to fill the seat left open by Josh Revak, who was appointed to the Senate. Also, in east Anchorage present Republican House Minority Leader Rep. Lance Pruitt faces a re-challenge by Democrat Liz Snyder. Pruitt survived a close race with Snyder in 2018 by 181 votes. Look for Republicans to put big money into this race. If he prevails, Pruitt is a candidate for Speaker of the House in a Republican House majority. Our reports are protected by Copyright. Please do not forward to others without permission. © COPYRIGHT Email: [email protected] Still some votes to be counted . What Republicans did was kill off a lot of leadership talent in both Houses. Rep. Kopp was coalition Rules chair in the House, and Rep. Johnston was a cochair of the House Finance Committee in the coalition. It looks like coalition House Majority Leader Steve Thompson, R-Fairbanks, will pull through. We will follow up with a more detailed election analysis including commentary on various leadership scenarios, and the seeming ultra-partisanship that seems so destructive. Coalitions have long been a part of Alaska politics going back to a 20-20 House in 1963 when lawmakers flipped a coin and Rep. Bruce Kendall, R-Anchorage became Speaker. Subscription info Legislative Digest and Alaska Economic Report Contact: Tim Bradner at (907) 440-6068 - [email protected] Mike Bradner at (907) 242-6572 - [email protected] Page 2 Alaska Legislative Digest No. 38/20.