Allies and Opponents in Tuesday's election

Local elections are important. That point was driven home during the ordinance battle between the assembly and the mayor last year. In Tuesday's municipal election, we have several allies - and opponents - running for the assembly and school board, and it's important to know who they are.

One opponent is Andy Clary, son of Anchorage Baptist Temple pastor Glenn Clary and current member of evangelical ChangePoint. Both churches promote pray-away-the-gay "therapy" and oppose gay civil rights. Clary supports Mayor Sullivan's agenda, and will be Jerry Prevo's voice on the assembly.

Dick Traini is running against Clary for the midtown assembly seat. Traini is an independent former assembly member who works on both sides of the political isle. Between the two, Traini is the better choice. Read Bent's post on Clary and Mel's post "Why I picked Dick Traini over Andy Clary, & you should too" on Henkimaa.

In other races, LGBT ally Sheila Selkregg is retiring and endorsed Paul Honeman for her East Anchorage seat. Honeman is a moderate and a supporter of our community. He's running against ultra-conservative Adam Trombley, who opposed ordinance 64, has no ideas, and is a friend of our veto-happy mayor.

In West Anchorage, both progressive Matt Claman and moderate Ernie Hall are supportive of the LGBT community. Claman introduced the equal rights ordinance last year and is endorsed by progressives. Hall thinks the ordinance should have been handled differently. The nonpartisan Hall is endorsed in this race by conservatives, but once ran as a Democrat for lieutenant governor.

In South Anchorage, conservative Jennifer Johnston is being challenged by progressive Keli Booher. Johnston voted for the ordinance, but generally votes conservative. Booher is young, motivated and gay-friendly.

Remember former assembly chair Debbie Ossiander, who allowed Wasilla homophobes to testify against the Anchorage ordinance? How could we forget that. Independent Joelle Brown is challenging her for the Eagle River seat.

The Anchorage Press has a good overview of the assembly candidates, and the ADN has candidate profiles and race reviews for both assembly and school board.

Yes, we are also voting on school board seats, and there are two ultra-conservative candidates who promote 'traditional' education and no diversity. Creationist Don Smith made nasty racial comments about President Obama, according to Alaska Commons, and is the darling of the far right along with Bob Griffin. Both are running against people who are more supportive of diversity. Jeannie Mackie currently holds Seat B and is doing a good job. James LaBelle has the best chance of defeating the anti-gay Smith for Seat A. But there are two progressive candidates for Seat A, which might split the vote and allow Smith to win. So we need every vote we can get against him.

Your vote counts! Please learn about the assembly and school board candidates, and vote for the ones who support our community and the LGBT youth of Anchorage.

Vote on Tuesday, April 6 at your regular polling place, or vote at these general voting locations.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

You really believe Andy is going to be "Jerry Prevo's voice on the assembly"?

Really?

This manchurian candidate conspiracy is nothing more then a desperate last minute attempt to sway the midtown election.

It's really sad... :(

E. Ross said...

Yes, Anon, I really believe that, especially on gay issues. Prevo made it clear during the ordinance fight that he was going to get ABT-approved candidates elected to the assembly this year, and Clary is his man.

So Anon, if you believe so strongly that Clary will vote against both ABT and ChangePoint (his current church) on gay issues, why didn't you sign your name to the comment?

Anonymous said...

His man? Ugh!

How about his choice... This faux connection between prevo and andy has got to stop. It's a lie!

And so be it if clary votes against prop 64s... that is his choice... To make it sound like he will be voting on behalf of his church or ABT is a joke. He is his own man, and his votes are his own votes.

If I vote for the same person as a member of the KKK, does that make me a racist? If you vote for the same person as a communist, does that make you a marxist?

I didn't sign my name because I choose not to.

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