Bill Walker (American politician)

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Bill Walker
Bill Walker inauguration speech.jpg
11th Governor of Alaska
Assumed office
December 1, 2014
Lieutenant Byron Mallott
Preceded by Sean Parnell
Mayor of Valdez
In office
1979–1980
Preceded by Mac MacDonald
Succeeded by Stephen McAlpine[1]
Personal details
Born (1951-04-16) April 16, 1951 (age 64)
Fairbanks, Alaska, U.S.
Political party Republican (Before 2014)
Independent (2014–present)
Spouse(s) Donna Walker
Children 4
Residence Governor's Mansion
Alma mater Lewis and Clark College
University of Puget Sound
Religion Christianity
Website Official website

William M. "Bill" Walker (born April 16, 1951) is an American attorney and politician who is the 11th and current Governor of Alaska. He is the second native-born governor of Alaska after William A. Egan (1959–1966 and 1970–1974).

Born in Fairbanks, Alaska to Frances (Park) and businessman Ed Walker, Walker was raised in Delta Junction and Valdez, Alaska. He obtained a law degree and served as mayor, city councilor, and city attorney for Valdez, and as general counsel for the Alaska Gasline Port Authority. Walker ran for Governor of Alaska in the Republican Party primary election in 2010, losing to incumbent Sean Parnell.

Walker ran as an Independent in the 2014 election, merging his campaign with that of Democratic nominee Byron Mallott, who became Walker's running mate. Both candidates' prior respective running mates withdrew from the race and the Walker/Mallott ticket defeated Governor Parnell and his running mate Daniel A. Sullivan.

Career[edit]

Walker graduated from Valdez High School in 1969, received his B.S. in Business Management from Lewis & Clark College in 1973, and his J.D. from the University of Puget Sound School of Law in 1983[2] He and his wife owned a law firm for a while that focused on municipal and oil and gas law. In 1977-1979 he served in the Valdez city council,[3] as city attorney for Valdez,[4] and as general counsel for the Alaska Gasoline Port Authority.[5][6] He later was elected as mayor of Valdez, Alaska from 1979-1980, becoming Valdez's youngest mayor at 27.[7][8]

2010 Election[edit]

Walker challenged incumbent Governor Sean Parnell as well as Gerald L. Heikes, Merica Hlatcu, Sam Little, and Ralph Samuels in the Republican Party primary election on August 24, 2010. Walker finished in second, with 33.95% of the vote, while Parnell won the nomination with 49.49%.[7][9] The Alaska gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 2010 and Sean Parnell took the win over his opponent of the Democratic Party, Ethan Berkowitz.

Results[edit]

Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Sean Parnell (incumbent) 54,125 49.49
Republican Bill Walker 35,734 33.95
Republican Ralph Samuels 15,376 14.05
Republican Sam Little 1,661 1.54
Republican Merica Hlatcu 626 0.56
Republican Gerald L. Heikes 460 0.40
Total votes 107,982 100

2014 Election[edit]

In 2013, Walker announced his intention to run in the 2014 gubernatorial election as a Republican.[10] Later that year, he decided to run as an nonpartisan candidate, taking the advice and encouragement he had received from former Alaska governor Wally Hickel prior to his 2010 campaign.[2][7]

Walker selected Craig Fleener, a former Deputy Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, to run for Lieutenant Governor on his ticket.[11] He campaigned on a centrist platform, mixing traditionally conservative and liberal positions. Walker opposes the construction of the Pebble Mine and acknowledged the existence of climate change and the need to adopt energy policies to help mitigate its harmful effects, but supports increasing oil and gas pipeline capacities and new drilling for petroleum in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. He supports gun rights and a degree of state sovereignty for Alaska. He supports the Medicaid expansion brought on by the Affordable Care Act.[12]

On September 2, 2014, Walker held a press conference with Byron Mallott, the Democratic Party nominee for governor, announcing that they would merge their campaigns, with Mallott replacing Fleener as his running mate.[13] Mallott's Democratic running mate for Lt. Governor, attorney and State Senator Hollis French also stepped aside, leaving no official Democratic party candidate in the general election. Prior to their announcement the merger was met with resistance from the Alaska Republican Party, but was ruled as a valid action by the Alaska Supreme Court.[14]

Walker led in polls taken weeks before the November 4, 2014 general election.[15] Parnell was widely criticized for his support of billions in unpopular tax reductions for the petrochemical industry and the development of a scandal featuring five years of alleged cover ups with regard to rampant sexual abuse, cronyism, corruption and whistleblower suppression in the Alaska National Guard, for which Parnell served as Commander in Chief.[16][17][18] Following Election Day, the race was considered too close to call. On November 7, Walker and Mallott held a 3,165-vote lead.[19][20][21][22][23] On November 14, after Walker and Mallott extended their lead to 4,634 votes,[24] media outlets called the race.[25][26] Two days later, Parnell conceded.

Governor of Alaska[edit]

Walker took the oath of office on December 1, 2014. He faces a Republican-controlled legislature, but the Republican majorities are not enough to override a gubernatorial veto. With the Republican legislature opposed to Walker's attempts to expand Medicaid, Walker decided to use his executive authority to do so.[27]

As governor, Walker has attended many events across Alaska, such as the Annual Governor's Picnic which took place in Fairbanks at Pioneer Park on Sunday, June 7, 2015, in Anchorage at Delaney Park Strip on Saturday, August 1, 2015, and in Juneau at the University of Alaska Southeast on Friday, August 14, 2015. He also flew into Sitka after seven landslides devastated the town, causing extensive damage and killing three. He was able to secure $1 million dollars to help in the recovery.[28]

Personal life[edit]

Walker was born in Fairbanks, Alaska and raised in Delta Junction and Valdez.[8] He was the fourth child of Alaskan Pioneers, Ed and Frances Walker. Ed was an Alaskan Scout with Castner's Cutthroats in the Aleutian Islands during World War II and Frances worked on the Alaska-Canadian Highway. During the 1964 Alaska earthquake, Walker was working in the family's construction business as a carpenter, laborer, and teamster on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, which kept him away from danger and helped him pay for his education.[29] However, his family lost most of their personal and business possessions during the earthquake.[4][8] At the age of 12, Walker became a janitor to help his family.[8]

Bill resides in Anchorage, Alaska, with his wife of 39 years, Donna. The couple has four children and four grandchildren.[10] He enjoys fishing, downhill skiing, snow-machining, boating, camping, and taking his grandchildren ice skating.[29]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Under Oil's Powerful Spell, Alaska Was Off Guard". April 2, 1989. 
  2. ^ a b Jackinsky, McKibben (July 2, 2014). "Walker says he's taking Hickel's advice, running as independent". Homer News. Retrieved September 5, 2014. 
  3. ^ Zemach, Heidi (June 30, 2014). "Walker campaigns to become Alaska Governor". Seward City News. Retrieved September 5, 2014. 
  4. ^ a b Hobson, Lindsay (March 28, 2014). "Walker Joins Valdez 'Choose Respect' March & Commemorates Earthquake & Oil Spill Anniversaries". Delta News. Retrieved September 5, 2014. 
  5. ^ Dischner, Molly (September 6, 2012). "Summit to showcase Valdez as best for Alaska LNG". Alaska Journal of Commerce (2). Retrieved September 5, 2014. 
  6. ^ Dischner, Molly (December 8, 2011). "Walker pushes for natural gas pipeline to Valdez". Peninsula Clarion. Retrieved September 5, 2014. 
  7. ^ a b c "Bill Walker (Alaska)". Ballotpedia. Associated Press. 2014. Retrieved September 18, 2015.  Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "Walker" defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  8. ^ a b c d Revis, Lee (May 1, 2013). "Walker running for governor 2014: Second run for Valdez city attorney and Port Authority backer". Valdez Star 25 (18 ed.). Retrieved September 5, 2014. 
  9. ^ Mauer, Richard (September 2, 2014). "It's official: Walker-Mallott will take on Parnell-Sullivan in bid for Alaska governor". Alaska Dispatch News. Retrieved September 5, 2014. 
  10. ^ a b Woodham, Scott (April 25, 2013). "Bill Walker declares intent for 2nd run at Alaska governor's office". Alaska Dispatch News. Retrieved September 5, 2014. 
  11. ^ Demer, Lisa (October 14, 2013). "Walker chooses Fleener as running mate in independent bid for governor". Alaska Dispatch News. Retrieved July 24, 2014. 
  12. ^ On the Issues
  13. ^ Mauer, Richard (September 1, 2014). "Walker, Mallott to join forces in governor's race". Alaska Dispatch News. Retrieved September 2, 2014. 
  14. ^ "Judge rules in favor of merged Mallot and Walker campaigns". Retrieved 2015-09-21. 
  15. ^ Election 2014: Alaska Governor, Rasmussen Reports, September 29, 2014; retrieved October 3, 2014.
  16. ^ Jill Burke and Richard Mauer, "Parnell defends handling alaska national guard dysfunction, plans more firings", Alaska Dispatch News, October 2, 2014; retrieved October 3, 2014.
  17. ^ Jill Burke and Richard Mauer,Parnell waited years to take direct action on National Guard misconduct, Alaska Dispatch News, October 1, 2014. Retrieved October 3, 2014.
  18. ^ Caslon Hatch, Debate draws standing-room-only crowd, KTUU, July 23, 2014; retrieved October 3, 2014.
  19. ^ "In governor's race, Walker has edge -- or maybe not". Alaska Dispatch News. November 6, 2014. Retrieved November 7, 2014. 
  20. ^ "Governor’s race uncalled; Walker plans transition". Alaska Journal. November 13, 2014. Retrieved November 14, 2014. 
  21. ^ "Walker introduces co-chairs of transition team". Houston Chronicle. November 12, 2014. Retrieved November 14, 2014. 
  22. ^ "Number of uncounted votes grows in Alaska U.S. Senate race". Alaska Dispatch News. November 7, 2014. Retrieved November 7, 2014. 
  23. ^ "More than 50,000 votes remain to be counted in heated Alaska races". Alaska Dispatch News. November 10, 2014. Retrieved November 12, 2014. 
  24. ^ "Friday vote count makes Walker victory in race for governor look certain". Alaska Dispatch News. November 15, 2014. Retrieved November 14, 2014. 
  25. ^ "Alaska Governor Race: Incumbent Republican Sean Parnell Loses To Independent Bill Walker". The Huffington Post. November 15, 2014. Retrieved November 14, 2014. 
  26. ^ "Unity ticket defeats Alaska GOP Gov. Sean Parnell in drawn-out race". Los Angeles Times. November 15, 2014. Retrieved November 14, 2014. 
  27. ^ Herz, Nathaniel (July 16, 2015). "Walker says he'll use executive authority to expand Medicaid in Alaska". Alaska Dispatch News. Retrieved July 17, 2015. 
  28. ^ Kwong, Emily (September 1, 2015). "Govern Declares Disaster in Sitka, Opening New Lines of Relief Funds". Alaska Public Media. Retrieved September 18, 2015. 
  29. ^ a b "About Governor Walker". State of Alaska. 2014. Retrieved September 18, 2015.  |first1= missing |last1= in Authors list (help)

External links[edit]

Political offices
Preceded by
Sean Parnell
Governor of Alaska
2014–present
Incumbent
United States order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by
Joe Biden
as Vice President
Order of Precedence of the United States
Within Alaska
Succeeded by
Mayor of city
in which event is held
Succeeded by
Otherwise John Boehner
as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
Doug Ducey
as Governor of Arizona
Order of Precedence of the United States
Outside Alaska
Succeeded by
David Ige
as Governor of Hawaii