Voters like Halcro, but fear wasting vote

JUNEAU - Andrew Halcro has a dilemma, one poignantly captured by a state lawmaker.

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"If everyone who has told me they want to vote for Andrew had the courage of their convictions and did, I think we'd pretty much have a three-way horse race now," said Rep. Mike Hawker, R-Anchorage. "But Andrew has not gained the confidence of people that he can win."

Everywhere he goes, Halcro, an independent candidate for governor, is frustrated by people who agree with what he has to say, but are afraid to back him on Election Day for fear of throwing away their votes.

"I have heard that from Bethel to Ketchikan. Every day, every speech, every forum, every debate," Halcro said. "If I had a vote for every time I heard that, I'd be up by double digits."

Hawker, who said he hasn't decided who he will vote for, admits to being just as ambivalent.

"I am one of those guys who would like to vote Halcro, but I just don't know," he said.

Halcro may be trailing badly to Republican candidate Sarah Palin and Democrat Tony Knowles in the final weeks before the Nov. 7 election, but he is making the most of his opportunities to pick apart his two opponents.

His role has now become one of spoiler rather than contender, evidenced by his appearances at debates and forums statewide. Regarding Knowles, Halcro says the two-term former governor had eight years to put in place the policies he is now promising. On Palin, he says her campaign is "to say nothing and promise everything is going to be OK."

"I'm keeping Tony and Sarah on point. There's no question that I'm driving the debate," he said. "When I look at my role in this race, I am doing what I intended to do."

Besides Halcro, there are three independent or third-party candidates on the ballot for governor. Representing the Green Party is David Massie of Anchorage. Don Wright of Fairbanks is this year's Alaskan Independence Party candidate. Billy Toien of Anchorage is the candidate for the Libertarian Party.

Halcro is the most visible of the independent or third-party candidates who are in this year's gubernatorial race. He has pumped a considerable amount of his own money into the campaign, been invited to numerous forums and forced his opponents to take notice.

Working outside the two major parties is a difficult handicap to overcome for the former Republican legislator and Anchorage businessman. However, he said, lack of a party affiliation has freed him from speaking in platitudes that the party candidates deliver.

"That's what politics has come to _ saying nothing," he said.

The Halcro campaign has had its share of hitches. He had to rush to turn in enough signatures and meet the deadline for being placed on the ballot as an independent. Then, his first running mate, Ken Lancaster, backed out and he had to find a new one, Fay Von Gemmingen, before his candidacy was eliminated. Lacking big name recognition or the backing of a political party, Halcro has had to turn to his personal wealth to finance his campaign.

His sharpest critics have called the Halcro campaign nothing more than an ego trip. To them, Halcro says he is the candidate with the most substance.

"Is it an ego trip to run against a governor who had eight years and did nothing, or a candidate who says nothing?" Halcro said.

Even without a Nov. 7 win, Halcro believes the campaign will have been worthwhile. Many more Alaskans know who he is because of this campaign, and that can be useful for future races. That could be another run for governor or a future even congressional race, he said.

"I think Alaska is always going to be in the market for good, young leadership," he said.

But for now, he said he will campaign hard until Nov. 7, and try to turn some of those who say they like him but are worried about throwing away their votes.

"I hate it when they say that word, 'but,'" Halcro said. "Just keep your mind open and think."