33°

Sound off on the important issues at

Harris said he aligned with Binkley in the governor's race due to their long friendship rather than making a political statement against Murkowski or any other candidate.

"I like him and I'm going to vote for him," Harris said of Binkley.

Harris' and Wagoner's alignment with Murkowski's opponent comes just one day after one of the governor's most influential legislative supporters on gas-line matters, Sen. Ben Stevens, announced he is bowing out of his re-election campaign. Stevens cited family reasons for dropping out of the race.

"(Murkowski) just lost a key ally with Ben Stevens," said Rep. Beth Kerttula, D-Juneau. Thursday, adding that she doesn't believe Murkowski has very many strong supporters left in the Legislature.

"The governor will stand on his record," Murkowski campaign manager Mike Scott said.

As for the gas line project's merits, Scott noted that "It's a project that has the support of people who own the gas."

As House Speaker, Harris' alignment with Binkley on the petroleum taxes will add a new wrinkle to policymaking in the Legislature, as lawmakers continue to grapple with both Murkowski's oil tax bill and the proposed gas line contract.

"Everybody is starting to go into the camps," Kerttula said. "It was always going to happen. ... It's such a critical election year."

All three Republican candidates in the governor's race have now staked out a major position on issues surrounding the multi-billion-dollar gas line deal.

Sarah Palin, a former Wasilla mayor running against Murkowski, recently stated she prefers building a gas pipeline through Alaska, instead of Canada. She has now been endorsed by former state Gov. Wally Hickel.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tony Knowles has not yet described in any great detail his position on an oil tax structure or gas pipeline deal.

And despite resistance from the Legislature, Murkowski has held firm to his original proposals for oil tax reform and a gas line contract negotiated in confidential discussions with the three oil producers.

"I'm calling the legislators to put the (net profits tax) aside and go to a tax system that is fair and simple," said Binkley, a former state senator, on Thursday, in a interview following his press conference.

The Legislature is scheduled to take up Murkowski's oil tax legislation for the third time, in a second special session starting July 12.

Fifty legislative seats also will be decided in the upcoming November election.

Harris said Thursday that he prefers taxing gross petroleum profits at a flat rate, as Binkley now proposes.

Citing similar concerns raised earlier by House Minority Leader Ethan Berkowitz, Harris said Thursday he is worried that Alaska could be "out-gamed" by the oil companies under the governor's more complex oil tax structure.

"There's possibilities that (a flat tax) could get some steam in the special session," Harris added. He said the concept has some traction with a few Republicans as well as Democratic lawmakers.

Scott, the governor's campaign manager, said Thursday that Murkowski "can't control the Legislature but what he's done to date is a huge achievement."

By negotiating a gas deal with the three North Slope oil producers, BP, ConocoPhillips and Exxon Mobil Corp., Murkowski scored a victory for Alaska that "no other governor has been able to," Scott explained.

Murkowski recently requested the Legislature convene again in Juneau, starting next Wednesday, to approve his oil tax revision and amendments related to the proposed gas contract.

• Elizabeth Bluemink can be reached at elizabeth.bluemink@juneauempire.com.