Homer Alaska - News

As Alaska and the nation look forward to next fall's elections, local District 35 political parties held or will hold caucuses this month to elect new members and consider party strategies. Last Friday, local Republican Party members held a caucus at the Anchor River Inn. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Democrats hold their caucus at the Beluga Lake Lodge on Ocean Drive Loop.

District 35, the area represented in the Alaska Legislature by Rep. Paul Seaton, R-Homer, includes the Kenai Peninsula communities of Homer, Anchor Point, Seldovia, Port Graham, Nanwalek, Seward, Moose Pass and Cooper Landing.

At last week's caucus, about 30 Republicans attending elected Jesse Clutts to be the new district chairman, replacing longtime chairwoman Eileen Becker. Clutts ran for the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly District 9 seat last fall, but lost to water taxi owner Mako Haggerty.

District 35 Republicans also selected five delegates to attend the May 15-17 Republican Party Convention in Juneau. Becker said Republicans also took a stand encouraging the state to move ahead with a natural gas pipeline. A big issue at the state convention will be electing a state party chairman. Current chairman Randy Ruedrich probably will run for re-election, Becker said.

The Democrats will be electing officers for chair, vice chair, secretary and treasurer. Homer resident Bob Burns is the current District 35 chairperson. On the agenda for Saturday is selecting delegates to the Alaska Democratic Party convention, to be held May 7-9 in Sitka, district committee members and grievance committee members. The Democrats will discuss and vote on resolutions and platform and party plan changes. Johnathan Teeters, the Alaska director of Organizing for America, also speaks. Organizing for America is the successor organization to Obama for America, President Barack Obama's successful presidential campaign organization.

For more information on the Alaska Republican Party, visit its Web page at www.alaskarepublicans.com. District 35 Democrats have a Web page at www.district35democrats.org, with links to the caucus agenda.

Michael Armstrong can be reached at michael.armstrong.@homernews.com.