Notes from the Campaign Trail: June 21

Dear Alaskans –

It is with great hope for Alaska’s future that I have decided to end my campaign to become Alaska’s next Congressman. There are two outstanding Alaska Native women in this race who would both serve our state well, and I encourage my supporters to stay engaged and consider giving their first-place vote to whichever of them best matches their own values.

This race has been both exhausting and exhilarating. I appreciate all of you that donated to the campaign, wrote letters to the editor on my behalf, worked as co-chairs, put-up yard signs and attended sign-waving rallies. Thank you so much for your support. Trust that I am making the right decision.

I am a lifelong Alaskan with a passion for this state and its people. I know that polarizing partisanship is not how solutions are achieved. It takes leadership and work. Unfortunately, Alaska and America are stuck right now, and Monica and I have decided it is just too hard to run as a nonpartisan candidate in this race. I still believe that when people with differing opinions listen to each other and work together, problems get solved. Maybe we can reach that place sometime in the future. I hope we do.

Right now, our country is broken- inflation is out of control and partisan gridlock and grandstanding keeps decisive action at a standstill. My goals were:

To bring fiscal common sense to Washington and reign in government spending to control inflation.
To expand Alaska’s energy sector including renewable energy, oil and gas, and lower the cost of energy in Alaska, and promote America’s energy independence.
To fortify Alaska’s role in the Arctic to defend against aggressors like Russia and China, and to use our strategic position to deliver jobs and infrastructure.
To deliver on healthcare and pharmaceutical cost reform and to make healthcare more affordable and accessible through a public option. And to work towards the broader goal of a government public health care system that is available to everyone who wants to buy into it, while still preserving the private health care system for those who desire to pay more for extra benefits that a public system might not provide.
To work to diversify Alaska’s economy to include a broader range of value-added industries.
To advocate for access to high-speed internet and transportation and infrastructure solutions to connect our communities to the goods and services they need.
To be a strong voice for our subsistence culture and way of life and to fight for sustainable fisheries.
To keep the government out of personal decisions, like the use of cannabis, gender identity, and our sexual and reproductive choices.
To work to end dark money’s influence on our politics and to always put your voice ahead of corporate money.

It’s time to deliver for Alaska and our country, and I hope that your next Congressman or Congresswoman does that.

Thank you again for your support.

Respectfully,

Al Gross