I was rather shocked to see references to the letter Tuckerman Babcock, chairman of the Alaska Republican Party, sent to Reps. Gabrielle LeDoux, R-Anchorage, Paul Seaton, R-Homer, and myself, published in the Alaska Dispatch News on Nov. 10. Mr. Babcock failed to provide any of us with a courtesy copy of his heavy handed letter. I had to search for his “open letter” on the Republican Party website.
His claims of my deception in campaigning under false pretenses as a Republican to my constituents need to be addressed. First of all, my constituents know my voting record from last year and they know it included working across the aisle with Democrats in an effort to address the fiscal crisis facing the state of Alaska.
If I am not lockstep with Republican party dogma at this point in time, it is not my deception, it is his apparent misunderstanding of my priorities. I made it very clear to him in our telephone conversation during the campaign what my priorities are. I will restate them here so there is no further misunderstanding.
Priority one is my constituents; priority two is the state of Alaska; priority three is party and caucus.
[Democrats and moderates unveil new-look House Majority]
In closing, I wish to remind Mr. Babcock, there is no such thing as party dictatorships in the state of Alaska, or elsewhere in the U.S., although some leadership individuals use ostracism tactics in an effort to enforce them. We live and work in a democratic society and I am not going to submit to intimidation, public or otherwise, while I am serving in the Alaska Legislature.
Lastly, pending the approval of APOC, rather than returning to the party the $1,000 donation to my campaign as he has requested, I will be making a $1,000 donation to the Kodiak Salvation Army in the name of the Alaska Republican Party.
• Rep. Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, represents House District 32.
