Halcro says he will challenge Rep. Don Young in 2010 race
Former state lawmaker says it's time for young Republicans to accrue seniority in US House
ANCHORAGE - Andrew Halcro, a former state lawmaker, blogger and talk show host announced Thursday he will challenge U.S. Rep. Don Young in the 2010 Republican primary.
The key issue in the campaign may come down to seniority, either Young adding to his 19 terms in office or Halcro's intent to build a new tenure of Republican leadership for Alaska.
Halcro, 44, said it's time for a young Republican leader to start accruing seniority, which would pay off the next time Republicans are in control of the U.S. House.
First elected in 1973, Young spent years in the minority while building seniority. Within a few years of Republicans regaining control of the House in 1994, Young became chairman of some powerful committees, including Resources and Transportation, and was able to funnel federal money back to Alaska.
With Democrats now back in control of the House, Halcro said, the 76-year-old Young was essentially a freshman.
"I think Alaska with only one voice in the U.S. House has to start gaining seniority now because if we wait for another election cycle, or possibly two elections cycles, we're going to be left at the curb while these young Republicans are getting elected and we're not going to be in a position to climb up the ladder and gain seniority," Halcro said.
A message left with Young's campaign Thursday was not immediately returned, but Alaskans for Don Young Inc. released a statement.
"Through my seniority, my long-seeded friendships with many of the current chairman and your support, we have been able to accomplish great things and together we can accomplish so much more," Young said in the statement.
Young filed for his 20th term in June, saying he expected challengers. The death of his wife, Lu, last month has not changed his resolve.
"Lu and I made the decision to run for re-election together, and I will continue to fight for her and for all Alaskans," the statement said.
A Democrat, state Rep. Harry Crawford of Anchorage, has filed to run for the U.S. House.
Halcro said he will not make Young's legal problems an issue in the campaign.
Young was re-elected last year despite facing federal investigations of connections to Bill Allen, an Alaska businessman convicted of bribing state lawmakers, and a spending bill earmark that benefited a campaign supporter in Florida. However, federal prosecutors looking at Young are under investigation themselves after the conviction they won against former U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, was thrown out.
"I won't address them at all. That's not an issue to me. That's an issue to people outside, it's an issue to the Department of Justice, if it still is," Halcro said.
"To me there is one issue in this campaign, and that is seniority," he said.
Halcro served in the state House from 1999-2003. He ran as an independent for governor in 2006, and came in third in the general election behind Democrat Tony Knowles and the winner, Republican Sarah Palin.
After the election, he established a blog where he was often critical of Palin. He also had a radio talk show in Anchorage.
He is director of business development for Avis Alaska. He and his wife, Vicki, have two daughters, Lauren, 25, and Alyssa, 19.