Blake Gettys, a retired U.S. Air Force brigadier general, will run for lieutenant governor alongside Republican gubernatorial candidate Shelley Hughes, the duo announced Thursday in Anchorage.
Incumbent Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy, a Republican, is term-limited after serving from 2018 to 2026. Hughes is one of 18 candidates for Alaska governor.
Blake Gettys, 60, of Eagle River, grew up in Ohio and has lived in Alaska since 1994. He retired from the Air Force in August 2018 as a brigadier general. He most recently was the director of Kids Outdoor Zone, a Christian youth ministry of Alliance Christian Fellowship Church in Eagle River, and a commercial airline pilot.
Gettys attended the Air Force Academy where he played football. He was the director of joint staff for the Joint Force Headquarters at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson and commanded the 176th Wing, Alaska Air National Guard, at JBER.
At a campaign event in Anchorage Thursday, Gettys said that he believes deeply in Hughes’ mission and he is grateful for the opportunity to serve Alaska. Gettys is a registered Republican.
“The state gave me opportunities to learn, to lead, to serve and to solve problems that mattered. It gave me purpose. The state helped shape me into the man of faith I am today,” he said Thursday. “If elected I promise to serve Alaska with humility, discipline, gratitude and integrity. That’s the least I can do for a state that has given me so much.”
As lieutenant governor, Gettys said that he would ensure the integrity of Alaska’s elections, oversee a government automation and modernization program, advocate for the return of federal lands to the state and eliminate redundancy and waste.
Hughes said Thursday that Gettys has “integrity and character.”
“When you have a solid foundation you can raise up strong leaders, but it can go the other way. Sometimes we need strong leaders to help rebuild that strong foundation, and that is what I’m offering to you,” she said.
Hughes is the fifth candidate for governor to name a running mate. Former Republican Senator Click Bishop chose Greta Schuerch of Kiana, Republican Bernadette Wilson picked former Republican Senator Mike Shower of Wasilla and former Republican Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson picked Josh Church.
