Full slate of candidates on primary ballot:
Challengers look to change state’s political landscape

By Ken Smith
Turnagain Times

This year’s primary election Aug. 26 is one of the most significant in decades for Alaskans, with long-time Republican leaders U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens and Rep. Don Young fighting for their political lives.
As the primary election approaches, Stevens is preparing to fight seven felony indictments that he was charged with by a federal grand jury in the District of Columbia less than a month before the election. Federal Prosecutors said Stevens received more than $250,000 in gifts and services from VECO CORP, a powerful oil services contractor, and its executives. From May 1999 to August 2007, prosecutors said, the 84-year-old senator concealed “his continuing receipt of hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of things of value from a private corporation.”
Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Don Young is under a Congressional investigation for a national highway-spending bill that included a Florida project lawmakers had not voted on.
If Stevens wins the nomination, the longest serving Republican in the Senate will likely face his strongest opponent in Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich, the front-runner on the Democratic ticket for U.S. Senate.
Begich is being challenged in the primary by two candidates: Ray Metcalfe of Anchorage and Frank J. Vondersaar of Homer.
Steven’s is opposed by five challengers for the Republican nomination: Michael D. Corey from Anchorage, Gerald “Jerry Heikes of Palmer, Roederic H. “Rick” Sikma from North Pole, Vic Vickers and Rich M. Wanda both of Anchorage.
As for Rep. Young, he faces a strong challenge by Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell, who has the endorsement of Gov. Sarah Palin. Gabrielle LeDoux of Anchorage is also challenging Young.
On the Democratic ticket for U.S. Representative, candidate Diane Benson of Anchorage faces off against challenger Ethan Berdowitz also of Anchorage.
At the local level, the one seat that matters to voters of Turnagain Arm and South Anchorage is for State Representative District 32. That seat is currently occupied by incumbent Rep. Mike Hawker (Republican). He is being challenged in the primary by Republican candidate Brian Richardson. The winner will face Democratic candidate, Mike Kenny, who was unopposed.
Both Rep. Hawker and his challenger, Brian Richardson, were asked by the Times to submit bios and comments regarding their candidacy.

Mike Hawker
(Republican) -
Incumbent

Mike Hawker was first elected State Representative in 2002. He is the senior Anchorage member of the House Finance Committee, chairman of the House Special Committee on Ways and Means and a member of the Legislative Budget and Audit Committee. Representative Hawker is 52 years old, married to Carol Carlson, has lived in our District since 1979 and spent his career as a successful CPA and corporate financial officer. He is an active firearms collector, reader, world traveler and an aviation and history buff.

Candidate comments:
It has been my privilege serving the past six years as State Representative for House District 32. I have a proven record of success using my life experience as a CPA and corporate financial officer to control costs and make government more accountable while improving roads, schools, police and fire protection throughout our district.
I have secured state funding for important improvements in all our Turnagain Arm communities. These appropriations include the new Girdwood Community Center; buildings, equipment and vehicles for the volunteer fire departments; increased Whittier Tunnel winter hours; a new roof for the Whittier School; relocating the power line to Hope for improved all-season reliability; Hope community and public safety improvements; Chugach Park facility upgrades and increased Seward Highway maintenance and safety enforcement.
I am running for re-election to make certain the administration properly implements legislation I passed this year requiring the state to develop a long-range fiscal plan. I will continue listening to my constituents, advocating for our communities and working for the common sense changes you want to see in state government. I am working this summer with the Municipality of Anchorage prioritizing road improvement projects in Girdwood to include in next year’s state capital budget.
I have earned a reputation for straight talk, hard work and proven results. I have brought professional financial experience and a voice of reason to the House Finance Committee. I have taken on tough issues and developed legislation that provides real solutions. Two years ago, I co-wrote tax legislation that broke Veco’s grip on the legislature and ultimately resulted in a fair increase in Alaska’s oil production taxes. I disagree with the short sighted amendments passed this session that make Alaska’s taxes some of the highest in the world.
My pension finance bill is saving us hundreds of millions of dollars using modern financial management practices while fully paying off the multi-billion dollar public retirement system liability. I chaired the Joint Legislative Education Funding Task Force and sponsored critical legislation that fixed Alaska’s school funding formula. Anchorage School Superintendent Carol Comeau called my work “tremendous and historic.” I wrote the legislation that restored longevity payments for all low-income senior citizens and put together enough support to call the first special legislative session ever held in Anchorage to get the bill passed.
Most importantly, this year I passed House Bill 125 requiring the state to develop a long-range fiscal plan. In the next session legislators must make certain the long-range fiscal plan is properly developed, that we maximize our savings as we fully fund the public retirement system liability and we make good on our school funding promises. We must also find practical solutions Alaska’s energy and health care challenges. I have the experience and vision to provide the leadership the legislature needs to accomplish these goals.
I always welcome the counsel of my constituents. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any concern you would like to discuss. My personal email is mike@mikehawker.org. For more information about my campaign, vision and accomplishments in office, please visit my web site www.mikehawker.org.

Brian Richardson
(Republican) - candidate

Brian W. Richardson was born in Anchorage and lived throughout Alaska. He served aboard the USS Anchorage (LSD36) as a Hospital Corpsman. After an Honorable Discharge, he lived in Seattle during the dotcom boom. He returned to Anchorage in 2002 with his wife, Kim. He worked in the medical field and directed a series of adventure races in his spare time. His passion for medicine is sustained by teaching undergraduates as an adjunct professor; in addition to his daily work as a chief executive officer with a healthcare company. Brian has a rare level of energy and desire for efficiencies that improves the lives of those he comes in contact with.
Richardson was born in Anchorage, Alaska. His parents were teachers and explored the state. Brian was able to live in Whittier, Homer, Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau. He moved his last year of high school to Bellingham, Washington.
Richardson’s medical career started with the U.S. Navy. He attended Hospital Corpsman school in Great Lakes, IL. He served as the Lead Corpsman of Balboa Navy Hospital, a Level II trauma center. Later, he served aboard the U.S.S. Anchorage (LSD36). A WESTPAC tour included stops in Kuwait, Dubai, UAE, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Hong Kong.
Richardson received an Honorable Discharge and settled n Seattle, Washington. He served as an Office Nurse/Manager for a cardiology practice. At nights, he worked shifts in a local emergency room because he enjoyed the high-speed environment.
Richardson had a unique seat during the Dotcom era. He witnessed friends initiate, go big, and then deflate through the cycle. He closely observed the processes of how to promote ideas and industries.
In 2002, Richardson returned with his new wife, Kim, to Anchorage. She had previously lived in Juneau and as looking forward to the long summer hours of softball. His wife was recently accepted into the nursing program at the University of Alaska-Anchorage.
Richardson and his wife started an adventure-racing club in 2003. EGADS Alaska hosted six and twelve hour races for adrenalin junkies. The teams would work together to hike, bike and float for up to fifty miles over twelve hours. Their all women races in the spring were the most popular.
Since returning to Alaska, Richardson has stepped up from the technical field of three-dimensional cardiac mapping in the heart labs of the local hospitals. He was hired as the Chief Executive Officer for a Palmer company needing to spin-off a military technology.
After a successful start-up, Richardson was able to assist several other companies in an executive role. He currently is the CEO of a state wide home health aid agency. He retains a part-time position as an adjunct professor with the University of Alaska-Anchorage. “Teaching Medical Terminology allows me to inspire students who may be unsure what they can contribute to the medical field,” Richardson says.
Richardson says he has a unique combination of passion for medicine and an entrepreneurial mindset with a high-energy state that brings fresh insights into whatever he engages.
“I am not looking to make a career out of politics,” Richardson says. “This is about pushing for innovation in healthcare and promoting secondary industries. If we chip away at it, Alaska can set the standard in delivering economically viable healthcare that the Lower 48 will envy.
“I am not the famous hunting guide,” says Richardson. “I cannot catch fish or find a bear to save my life. I think I have game-repelling chromosome. Interestingly, there is another Brian Richardson here in Anchorage. We are about the same age and build too.”