With June 2 the deadline to file as a political party candidate for the Aug. 19 primary election, and with redistricting drawing new election district boundaries, some communities have moved from one district to another. The ballot also will be a mix of familiar, as well as some unfamiliar names.
The southern Kenai Peninsula was in Senate District O, an area that will continue to be represented by Sen. Peter Micciche, R-Soldotna, until election results take effect in January 2015. Redistricting now places the southern peninsula in Senate District P, which includes House Districts 31 and 32.
House District 31 includes the north shore of Kachemak Bay, the Russian Old Believer villages of Kachemak Selo, Nikolaevsk, Razdolna and Voznesenka, and the southern peninsula north to Funny River and Kalifornsky.
House District 32 stretches from Kodiak Island to Cordova and includes the southern Kachemak Bay communities of Nanwalek, Port Graham, Seldovia and Halibut Cove.
Filing as candidates for Senate District P are:
• Robert “Moose” Henrichs, a Democrat from Cordova; and
• Gary Lee Stevens, a Republican from Kodiak who currently represents the Kodiak area and formerly represented Homer.
Only one candidate has filed for House District 31:
• Paul Seaton, a Republican who has represented areas of the peninsula including Homer, since he was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2002.
Four candidates have filed for House District 32:
• Carol Austerman, R-Kodiak;
• Jerry G. McCune, D-Cordova;
• Louise B. Stutes, R-Kodiak;
• Rich Walker, R-Kodiak.
Other Kenai Peninsula residents who will be on the August primary ballot are:
• John R. Cox, R-Anchor Point, and Frank J. Vondersaar, D-Homer, are candidates for U.S. House of Representatives. Other candidates include David F. “Dave” Dohner, R-Fairbanks; Forrest Dunbar, D-Anchorage; and Jim C. McDermott, L-Fairbanks; David Seaward, R-Anchorage; and incumbent Rep. Don Young, R-Anchorage. Matt Moore, D-Anchorage, has withdrawn from the race.
• Brad Snowden, R-Seward, is running for governor. Other candidates include Carolyn F. “Care” Clift, L-Anchorage; Gerald L. “Tap” Heikes, R-Palmer; Byron I. Mallott, D-Juneau; Russ Millette, R-Anchorage; current Gov. Sean R. Parnell, R-Anchorage; and Phil G. Stoddard, D-Anchorage. Hollis S. French, D-Anchorage, the current Senate minority leader, has withdrawn from this race.
• Republican Kelly Wolf, a Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly member, is running for lieutenant governor. On the assembly, Wolf represents the Kalifornsky Beach District. His term expires in 2015. Other lieutenant governor candidates include French; Andrew C. Lee, L-Nome; Dan Sullivan, R-Anchorage; and Robert L. “Bob” Williams, D-Wasilla. Lesil McGuire, R-Anchorage, who currently represents Senate District K, has withdrawn from the race.
• Rocky Knudsen, D-Nikiski, will run against Speaker of the House Mike Chenault, R-Nikiski, for House District 29.
• Shauna Thornton, D-Kenai, and Rep. Kurt Olson, R-Soldotna, who currently represents House District 29, are candidates for House District 30.
• Eric Treider, an independent of Soldotna, will challenge Micciche for Senate District O.
The Aug. 19 primary election is followed by the general election Nov. 4.
McKibben Jackinsky can be reached at mckibben.jackinsky@homernews.com.
