Legislators unanimously reject Dunleavy appointee with 'particularly disqualifying' views

It's Wednesday, Alaska. There's a week left in the legislative session.

In this edition: The Alaska Legislature met for its annual joint session to take up the governor's appointments to various boards and commissions today. Along with the traditional battle over the makeup of the Board of Fisheries, legislators nixed two appointments, with one going down in a spectacular 0-60 vote. Also, the race for Alaska's next governor added another candidate, so it's time to update the power rankings. This is a long one, so you'll likely have to click View Entire Message or follow this link to the post on akmemo.com.

Current mood: 🤨

Legislators unanimously reject Dunleavy appointee with 'particularly disqualifying' views

Legislators rejected just two of Gov. Mike Dunleavy's appointments – one by an impressive 0-60 vote – in what was broadly a less-controversial-than-usual confirmation session (we're really feeling the absence of right-wing chaos agent Rep. David Eastman on days like today).

In addition to the usual fight over the composition of the Board of Fisheries – an ongoing battle with lines that cut across the political spectrum – legislators mostly focused on appointments in the realms of education and health care.

On the health care front, legislators unanimously rejected the appointment of Samantha Smith to the Alaska State Medical Board. Smith, a physician assistant who practices alternative restorative medicine at a chiropractor's clinic, drew opposition from every corner of the state and every end of the political spectrum after a disastrous run through confirmation hearings. And, as many legislators made clear throughout the debate, it wasn't her practice of "regenerative medicine" that sank her confirmation. On the floor, her opponents (everyone) reported that she criticized other Alaska health care providers for "subpar care" compared to the East Coast, lacked experience Alaska's far-ranging rural health care system, called for more rigorous licensing standards, faced HIPAA violation accusations and, among other things, suggested rigorous malpractice lawsuits would improve the state's quality of health care.

"She practices solo in regenerative medicine at a chiropractic clinic, which is completly fine, but it is not representative of the majority of the physician assistants in the state who practice primary care or in rural Alaska or team-based practices," said Rep. Genevieve Mina, the Anchorage Democrat who chairs the House Health and Social Services Committee. "Confirming Miss Smith disregards the many talented, well-respected physicians' assistants in this state, our Alaska health care system, and it would erode trust in our appointment process."

Anchorage Rep. Andrew Gray, a physician assistant, said he was troubled by her lack of experience with what makes Alaska unique, particularly with health care systems in rural and remote communities. He added that it wasn't helped by a seeming hostility toward interacting with and learning from others.

"It's one thing to lack a lot of experience in your profession or to lack a lot of Alaska-specific experience," he said, "but to be unwilling to speak with others who have that experience is particularly disqualifying."

Physician assistants serve a particularly important role in Alaska, where they are frequently the only health care provider in rural communities. They can diagnose and treat a wide range of health issues under the oft-remote direction and scope of training from a doctor or doctors. Their expansive presence throughout the health care system, however, hasn't always sat well with others who are more accustomed to urban health care systems or don't regularly work with physician assistants. In 2023, the then-chair of the Alaska Medical Board proposed and tabled regulations that would have significantly increased the training requirements for PAs while simultaneously limiting their scope of work.

That, opponents said at the time, may be well-intentioned but misinformed of the unique challenges facing Alaska's health care system. And that, more than the restorative medicine – not that there's anything wrong with that – is what sank her nomination.

"My children tease me because I'm a firm believer in grounding sheets and I take an array of supplements, so I'm not disparaging that type of care," said Sen. Shelley Hughes, R-Palmer. "But for the PAs in this state, they are practicing a different type of medicine than she is, and she would need a better understanding and a better handle on that to better represent them well on the board."

Legislators also came close to rejecting the confirmation of the Alaska Medical Board Chair, Brent Taylor. Soldota Republican Rep. Justin Ruffridge, a pharmacist, led the charge against Taylor, arguing that he's been "somewhat antagonistic" to various medical fields as the board considers changing the scope of some practices. The appointment drew much less debate, ultimately passing 33-27.

As for education, legislators narrowly rejected the appointment of Kimberly Bergey to the Alaska Professional Teaching Practices Commission based on late-arriving legal concerns. As seems to be the case with at least one vote during the confirmation hearings, the opposition to Bergey's appointment seemed to evolve on the floor as opponents shared newly discovered information that called the legal footing of her appointment into doubt.

Legislators started out the debate against her appointment by arguing it would be unwise to put Bergey, who they also just approved for a seat on the state Board of Education, on the Professional Teaching Practices Commission because it would give one person outsized influence on education policy in Alaska. Others questioned whether she really qualified as a principal through her work at the Raven Homeschool Program. But, finally, the nail in the proverbial coffin came when legislators pointed out that her appointment appeared to violate the plain language of the law. That'd be the requirement appointee for the seat designated for a principal to come from a slate offered by the Alaska Principals Association.

(a) Members of the commission shall be selected as follows:
...
(2) the principal from a list of three names submitted by the Alaska Principals Association;
Sec. 14.20.410. Selection of members.

The Alaska Principal Association didn't nominate Bergey, and in a letter that legislators only received on Wednesday (it sounds like the Dunleavy administration had the letter for more time but didn't think to share it), the group had asked that her name be withdrawn. They noted that since she was appointed to her first term on the board, she is no longer an active principal.

"Unfortunately, none of us had seen this letter until today," Senate Education Committee Chair Sen. Löki Tobin said, noting she saw no evidence Bergey had tried to mislead legislators and that otherwise she was deeply experienced in education. "This leads us to believe there has been some miscommunication and just failure in oversight from Boards and Commissions to provide adequate information to the Education Committees in the House and the Senate."

Republicans defended Bergey's appointment to the board, praising her work in the homeschool world. Once the legal issues were raised, some conceded that the plain letter of the law could disqualify her if challenged, while others argued that since it was her second term on the board, it should be considered as a reappointment unbound by the appointment rules.

The vote on her nomination was much closer, with a 26-33 vote.

Disapproval over the Board of Regents' surprise decision to proactively censor DEI-ish terms in line with the Trump administration wasn't enough to sink the appointment of Regent Christine Resler. As one of the Board of Regents' newest members, Resler signed off on the measure pushed by the board's conservatives to preemptively remove any terms that the Trump administration's anti-DEI goons might find objectionable. Sen. Tobin gave an impassioned speech against her confirmation, arguing that it should be the Board of Regents' job to protect higher education in Alaska and keep it independent, worrying that Resler's support for the motion "leads me to believe there would be a willingness to follow illegal orders."

Still, others lauded Resler for a long history in Alaska's business world, arguing that she brought important insight to the university. The debate, overall, was much more muted, and she was ultimately confirmed on a 40-19 vote.

Board of Fish votes highlight the unusual currents at play when it comes to fish politics in Alaska, but legislators ultimately approved both the commercial and subsistence-focused appointees. The unique overlay of fish politics was on full display over the votes of two appointees to the Board of Fisheries, pitting legislators whose communities are more reliant on river fishing against those who are reliant on commercial fishing.

The opposition to Cordova commercial fisherman Thomas Carpenter's appointment was particularly fierce from the Interior lawmakers, who argued that there needs to be more attention and focus on ensuring that fish populations are healthy enough to make for good runs of salmon up the rivers. Tok Republican Sen. Mike Cronk was particularly fiery about it, arguing that it was devastating for his communities on the Copper River to be told that they can't fish while Alaskan Kings are being sold at Pike Place in Seattle.

"We can't fish and keep our fish for our smokehouses or tables, but they're sold in Seattle," he said. "That's a real issue for us."

Supporters of Carpenter noted he's the only member who lives in a coastal fishing community and has demonstrated that he can be fair with and listen to different interest groups. Carpenter's appointment was approved on a 40-20 vote.

The debate over Nenana resident Olivia Irwin, who's more on the side of subsistence users, was more staid, with legislators from commercial fishing communities saying that both subsistence and commercial fishing have a place on the Board of Fish. Rep. Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, noted that she was concerned about Irwin's comments about the unsustainability of commercial fishing, but said she would "begrudgingly" support her because she is young and eager to learn.

However, that youth wasn't a positive to everyone.

Eagle River Republican Rep. Dan Saddler took issue not with her subsistence background or comments about the sustainability of fish, but with her age.

"I regret to say I don't believe she is yet ready to serve on a board of this significance for our fisheries resources, primarily that's because she has limited experience. She is young. She just graduated from college in 2020," he said, referencing a date five years ago while running down a resume that covers work in several different fisheries. "Age can frankly be an important factor in wisdom. ... Perhaps with a few more years in which to gain the necessary knowledge and experience, perhaps five years, she could be a good candidate to sit on that board."

Few agreed with Old Man Saddler, and Irwin was approved on a 50-10 vote.

Whew!

Follow the thread: An exhaustive rundown of the confirmation session

The Alaska Governor's Race Power Rankings: Three's a Crowd

And now there were three.

Right-wing organizer and former talk radio personality Bernadette Wilson joined the race to be Alaska's next governor, bringing the race up to three Republicans. She's the first of the crowd to have never held elected office, but she's no stranger to politics after running several campaigns, including that of right-wing former Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson, a 2010 ballot initiative requiring parental consent if a minor is seeking an abortion (it passed, but it was struck down as unconstitutional) and the latest effort to repeal ranked-choice voting. She was also a key figure protesting Anchorage's COVID-19 precautions.  

She launched her campaign with a frankly kinda cringey announcement on the steps of the Alaska Capitol, which was streamed by right-wing blog Must Read Alaska. In it, she reiterated much of the conservative grievances and fixation on the COVID-19 pandemic, arguing that legislators' approach to public school funding is "as random as Dr. Fauci's six-foot distancing rule."

Still, as loath as I am to admit, I think her fluency in MAGA mumbo jumbo and conservative grievance may have some juice to it, given everything.

So, while names like former U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola and Attorney General Treg “Corporate-paid Travel is the Best Kind of Travel for Someone Charged with Upholding the Law"" Taylor have been floated as serious contenders for the office, let's examine who is officially in the race and rank them based on The Votable Index Based Entirely on Science (VIBES) analysis I coined for The Alaska Current.

Let's take a look at our updated VIBES power ranking as of May 14, 2025.

1. Click Bishop

Pros: Moderate, labor-friendly Republican that Democrats could live with.

Cons: Largely reviled by the Alaska Republican Party machine for being a moderate, labor-friendly Republican that Democrats can live with.

2. Bernadette Wilson ➕

Pros: An ultra-MAGA mudslinger who understands that grievance and alternate facts go a long way in today's modern political world.

Cons: Alaska's modern political world also now votes with ranked-choice voting, so appealing to extremes doesn't get the same mileage it used to.

3. Nancy Dahlstrom 🔻

Pros: Has been endorsed by Trump.

Cons: The Trump endorsement didn't go very far, and she dropped out of the race after a poor showing in the primary election. 

Stay tuned!