The Mat-Su Borough Fall 2020 election will take place on November 3, 2020. Early voting is already underway.
The following offices are to be filled at the election: Assembly District 4 (Wasilla; seat currently held by Ted Leonard who has opted not to run for a second term); Assembly District 5 (Big Lake/Point Mac; seat currently held by Dan Mayfield who is termed out); School Board District 3 (Wasilla south; incumbent Ole Larson is running for re-election); and School Board District 6 (Wasilla north; seat currently held by Kelsey Trimmer who is not running again.)
The candidates are required to file campaign disclosures with the Alaska Public Offices Commission.
Here is an analysis of how much money each candidate has raised, who has donated to their campaigns, and how the candidates are spending their campaign money.
Link to APOC website – Campaign Disclosure Reports – https://aws.state.ak.us/ApocReports/CampaignDisclosure/CDForms.aspx
SPOILER ALERT: The Mat-Su Candidate who has raised the most money (not including contributions from themselves or their spouse) is MOKIE TEW. Mokie raised a total of $9,888. ($14,888 minus $5,000.) Second place goes to Lisa Behrens who raised $9,178. ($21,928 minus $12,750).
Assembly District 4 Candidates: Amber Sanchez; Colleen Vague; and Robert D. Yundt II
Amber Sanchez has not filed any disclosures yet.
Colleen Vague has raised a total of $6,760. Her contributors include: Susan Pougher (former school board member); Ted Leonard (current Assembly member – District 4); Colleen Sullivan-Leonard; Barbara Doty (former Assembly member); Cindy Sykes (spouse of former Assembly member Jim Sykes); Mat-Su Republican Women; Vern Halter (Mat-Su Borough Mayor); Stu Graham (Wasilla City Council); and Pat Chesbro.
Robert Yundt has raised a total of $7,000. He contributed $5,000 of his own money to his campaign. Other contributors include Jess Hall (homebuilder) and Richard Carr.
Assembly District 5 Candidates: Mike Alexander; Lisa Behrens; Ken Koch; and Clayton “Mokie” Tew
Mike Alexander hasn’t filed any disclosures yet.
Lisa Behrens has raised a total of $21,928.00. She donated $12,500 to her own campaign and her spouse/partner Jack Weiderholt donated $250. She had donations from multiple attorneys including several who work at her husband’s law firm (Terry Agliletti, Ron Offret, and John Woofter), Wasilla Attorney (and former Democratic Party of Alaska Chairperson) Scott Sterling, and Forrest Dunbar (Anchorage Assembly member). Other contributors include: MSB Mayor Vern Halter, Assembly member Dan Mayfield, Port Commission member Helga Larson, former Assembly member Barbara Doty; former MSB Mayor Tim Anderson; John Bitney; Cindy Sykes; Carolyn Covington; Pat Chesbro; Dave Musgrave and Ruth Wood.
Ms. Behrens’ expenditures including paying $7100 to campaign consultant Jeremy Houston.
Ken Koch has not filed any disclosures yet.
Clayton “Mokie” Tew has raised a total of $14,888.70. Mokie and his wife Roberta donated $5,000 of this amount. Other contributors include: Bryan Ficklin; Stu Graham; Berkley Tilton (husband of State Rep Cathy Tilton); Robert Hall (Gorilla Fireworks); Cheryl Metiva; Robert & Trenitie Yundt (Robert is running for Assembly too); MatSu Republican Women; and State Senator David Wilson.
Tew’s expenditures include paying Beth Fread $500 per month for work as his campaign manager (for a total of $3500) and paying Optima Public Relations (Tom Anderson’s outfit which primarily caters to Republican candidates) $4087.
School Board District 3 Candidates: R. Ole Larson and Jeanne Troshynski
Neither Ole Larson nor Jeanne Troshynski have filed any disclosures yet.
School Board District 6 Candidates: Leland “Lee” Baugus and Dwight Probasco
Lee Baugus has not yet filed any disclosures.
Dwight Probasco has raised a total of $5,640. He donated $2025 to his own campaign. Other contributors include: Sarah Welton (MSB School Board member); Carloyn Covington; and the Mat-Su Education Association PAC.
