Here in Alaska, we'll be electing a new governor next year, in the 2026 general election. While there has not yet been even a date announced for a primary election, we already have several Republican candidates announced, including Lieutenant Governor Nancy Dahlstrom, former state Senator Click Bishop, and Matanuska-Susitna Borough Mayor Edna DeVries - and Anchorage businesswoman and political activist Bernadette Wilson, who has been crisscrossing the state even now, visiting towns and villages across the Great Land.
On Wednesday, I sat down for a virtual talk with Ms. Wilson to discuss her policy positions and her goals for Alaska, should she be elected. You can watch the full, unedited conversation here:
Here are a couple of high points from the interview:
Ward Clark: The first (issue) is, and you touched on this briefly, Alaska being basically being America's treasure chest. Nowhere is that (more) true than in the energy portfolio. What are your thoughts on the best way, as governor, you could work with Washington to keep Alaska's energy development moving ahead?
Bernadette Wilson: Gosh, you know, Ward, there are so many things. The first thing is when you look at energy projects, resources and development here in Alaska, we've talked a lot about roads in this campaign. My very strong belief is the government needs to help get roads built. That's one of the jobs they need to do is to get these roads built to these different mining districts and these different oil wells, where we have opportunity for development. We've got ANWR. We've got NPRA. We have all sorts of opportunities here. You could pick any two or three of them and the country would be doing great. But we really need to work with Washington to get the regulatory process streamlined.
Alaska had more sanctions under the Biden administration than the country of Iran did. You stop and you think about that for a minute, that that's how much they attempted to lock us down. It's time for Alaska to step up and say, "You know what, we're not going to let you lock us down anymore. We're going to go forward with these projects, and work with Washington on that." But I will say this, push back a little bit as well. We here are very lucky right now. We have a friendly administration. We have an administration that recognizes the opportunity that Alaska can provide to the rest of the country.
But even under an administration that's not, it's time for Alaska to push back and say "You know what, we're going to go anyhow. We will ask for forgiveness later, and we are going to work on pushing development as much as we can."
These are key points; as I have often said and written, one cannot talk about America's energy industry, which powers our modern, technological lifestyle, without talking about Alaska. One can also not talk about geopolitics and military matters without talking about Alaska, and Ms. Wilson has some thoughts on that as well.
WC: In the 1930s, I want to say it was in 1934, General Billy Mitchell said that Alaska was the most strategic real estate on the planet. We still have a heavy military presence here in Alaska, as a matter of fact we have a new Airborne division that was stood back up within the last few years. What are your thoughts on Alaska's position in the Pacific, especially looking east towards Russia and China? We're in kind of a unique spot with those two nations.
BW: We are, we're in a very unique spot, and you cannot deny that Alaska's strategic placement on the map is as important today as it ever has been. When you look at the tensions that are coming from countries like Russia, China, I mean name your list of where we could have potential threats coming in. I mean, you look at all the coastline that Alaska has, more coastline than any other state in the country, and of course we're 2 1/2 times bigger than any other state in the country. But it's incredibly important, I think it's incredibly important, that we beef up the military presence in Alaska, I think that is long overdue, so we need to have a solid conversation on that because it is vital to the security of the rest of the country.
By all means, watch the whole thing, in which we discuss many more issues, including education, ranked-choice voting, Alaska's Congressional delegation, and more.
See Also: Alaska Governor's Race Heats Up As GOP Candidate Makes New Staff Picks
Alaska is a state like no other, and our politics reflect that. We have more coastline than all of the lower 48 states combined. We are the only state aside from Hawaii that shares no land border with any other state, although we do share a border with Canada's Yukon Territory. Our Great Land is a treasure house of energy and mineral resources, but recent administrations have stifled every attempt to exploit those resources. Across the Bering Strait is Russia, and to the south of that is China, two large nations that are not particularly friendly to the United States. Alaska stands astride the American/Asian shipping lanes and the Great Circle air route from our West Coast to Asia.
Next year, Alaska will choose a new governor. In 2026, that election may well have much further-reaching implications than most, not just in Alaska, but in the rest of the country as well.
You can see Bernadette Wilson's official campaign site here.
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