In a last-minute filing, a Haines resident and former Alaska House of Representatives member is vying for the seat that’s currently held by Juneau Representative Andi Story.
Republican Bill Thomas registered to run last week, just a couple of days before the deadline for the statewide primaries. Thomas is Lingít and a lifelong resident of Haines.
In an interview, Thomas said that after a decade away from being in the legislature, he’s ready to come back.
“I have ideas, and I’d like to share them with people and help people. And I think my experience and knowledge of the way that the body works down there and the state would be helpful,” he said.
Juneau is represented by Jesse Kiehl in the Alaska Senate, and Sara Hannan and Story in the House. All three are Democrats who first took office in 2019 after the 2018 election.
Thomas is running for Story’s District 3 seat, which represents parts of the Mendenhall Valley, Auke Bay and Out the Road, Haines, Skagway, Klukwan and Gustavus.
Both Kiehl and Hannan are running unopposed.
Thomas was a member of the House from 2005 to 2013, and after that remained active both publicly and politically. He served as a lobbyist for the Borough of Haines, a political assistant to Gov. Mike Dunleavy and is now the vice president for the Chilkoot Indian Association.
He said some of the priorities he wants to pursue if elected are incentivizing workforce development, lowering energy costs in Southeast Alaska and offering more assistance to veterans.
Thomas said that although Story is the incumbent, he’s confident he can persuade voters to choose him.
“I think it’s just about what you bring to the party,” he said. “I think my diverse background and history, I feel like I can bring something and maybe get people’s attention.”
In an interview, Story said she doesn’t know much about her competitor but encourages voters to learn more about him. But she said she hopes her work as a lawmaker is far from over.
“I want to keep doing the job. We are so close on some key legislation that I want to get through,” she said. “I’m in it to win it!”
Story said that includes a permanent increase in public education funding and reinstating a pension system for state and local government workers.
The statewide primaries will take place this August.
