A sign marks a polling place in Juneau for the Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020, primary election. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

A sign marks a polling place in Juneau for the Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020, primary election. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Sullivan, Gross advance in US Senate primaries

Polls close at 8 p.m.

  • By BECKY BOHRER Associated Press
  • Tuesday, August 18, 2020 10:49am
  • News

By BECKY BOHRER

Associated Press

Independent Al Gross won the Democratic Alaska U.S. Senate primary Tuesday, advancing to challenge Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan in this fall’s general election.

Gross, an orthopedic surgeon who was endorsed by the state Democratic party and gained national attention bested Democrat Edgar Blatchford, a university professor and former state commerce commissioner, and Chris Cumings, a registered nonpartisan like Gross. “Independent” is a term often used to describe those registered as nonpartisan or undeclared in Alaska.

“The fight won’t be easy, but I’m inspired to know that I’m not in it alone,” Gross told supporters outside an Anchorage union hall late Tuesday.

Sullivan, 55, said the stakes for the general election “couldn’t be higher for our state and country.”

He said having Democrat Joe Biden as president and a Democratic-led Senate would threaten to unravel what he sees as progress in recent years on resource development, military and other issues that are part of an “Alaska agenda.” He cites moves toward allowing oil and gas drilling on the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and investments in the military as issues the Trump administration has supported and issues Sullivan believes many Alaskans support, too.

He said he has a good relationship with President Donald Trump. “It’s not what he says and what he puts out with regard to tweets, but what he’s done, what his administration has done in conjunction with the Congress,” Sullivan said.

Sullivan, a former state natural resources commissioner and attorney general, was elected to the Senate in 2014. He ousted Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Begich in an expensive and closely watched race. Sullivan said a reason he ran in 2014 was because he believed the federal government, during the Obama administration, “was not supporting us. It was an obstacle, not a partner with regard to our economy.” Biden was Obama’s vice president.

Gross called Sullivan a “puppet” for Trump, who carried the state in the 2016 presidential election. Gross has won support from The Lincoln Project, which includes current and former Republicans working to defeat Trump and those in Congress seen as allied with him. The group has taken aim at Sullivan.

Gross, whose father, the late Avrum Gross, was an attorney general under Gov. Jay Hammond in the 1970s, in an interview said the state has fared poorly economically the last several years. He said he would be a strong proponent of responsible resource development, including in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

“I have no intention of trying to stop resource development in the state,” he said. “But we have to look beyond that and find ways to diversify our economy in addition to responsible resource development.”

Gross, 58, has said he would push for changes intended to improve healthcare and help bring down costs. He said he supports a public option for individuals and small businesses on the health insurance exchange as a “starting point towards developing a more comprehensive public system.”

Financial disclosures show Gross had $2.9 million available at the end of July and had put more than $700,000 toward his campaign. Sullivan had about $5.3 million available.

Blatchford and Cumings had not reported raising any money.

Liz Gifford, a photographer and guide who biked to her Juneau polling place Tuesday, said she favored Gross. Gifford, a Democrat, said it was time to shake-up who was in office.

“There was nothing holding me back from voting, honestly,” she said, adding she felt comfortable with the precautions state elections officials took, which at her polling station at a high school included spacing voting booths and marking Xs on the floor to encourage social distancing among waiting voters.

Richard See said he initially biked to the wrong polling station before being directed to the high school location. He said he voted for Blatchford, saying he liked Blatchford’s past experience as a mayor and his roots in Alaska and saw him as straightforward in laying out his policy positions.

• This is an Associated Press report.

Al Drago/Pool                                 In this May 2020 photo, Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, testifies during a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. Sen. Sullivan, an Alaska Republican, is unopposed in the Alaska Republican Primary on Aug. 18, 2020. Sullivan, who is seeking a second term, will face the winner of the Democratic primary, which includes the leading candidate, Al Gross, who is running as nonpartisan.

Al Drago/Pool In this May 2020 photo, Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, testifies during a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. Sen. Sullivan, an Alaska Republican, is unopposed in the Alaska Republican Primary on Aug. 18, 2020. Sullivan, who is seeking a second term, will face the winner of the Democratic primary, which includes the leading candidate, Al Gross, who is running as nonpartisan.

Gross for Senate Campaign                                  This undated file photo, provided by the Gross for Senate campaign, shows Independent candidate Al Gross. Gross is the leading candidate in the Alaska Democratic Primary, which will be held Aug. 18, 2020. Gross is a nonpartisan candidate hoping to advance to the general election against incumbent U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan.

Gross for Senate Campaign This undated file photo, provided by the Gross for Senate campaign, shows Independent candidate Al Gross. Gross is the leading candidate in the Alaska Democratic Primary, which will be held Aug. 18, 2020. Gross is a nonpartisan candidate hoping to advance to the general election against incumbent U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan.

More in News

(Juneau Empire file photo)
Aurora forecast through the week of Nov. 10

These forecasts are courtesy of the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ Geophysical Institute… Continue reading

A map shows Alaska had the largest increase in drug overdose deaths among the five states reporting increases during the 12-month period ending in June. Overdoses nationally declined for a second straight year. (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention map)
Drug overdose deaths in Alaska jump 38.68% in a year as nationwide rate drops 14%

National experts see hope in second annual decline as Alaska officials worry about ongoing crisis.

Students arrive at Thunder Mountain Middle School on the first day of school Thursday, Aug. 15. The school now houses all students in grades 7-8, who were in two middle schools last year, and the students at Thunder Mountain last year when it was a high school have been consolidated into Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. (Laurie Craig / Juneau Empire file photo)
Report: 11 high school fights during first quarter of school year, up from 3 each of past two years

Consolidation seen as possible factor; middle school incidents more typical compared to recent years

People gather outside Resurrection Lutheran Church as it hosts its weekly food pantry on Tuesday afternoon. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Resurrection Lutheran Church leadership dispute intensifies with accusations of assault, theft, sabotage

Pastor removed, lawsuit lingers as competing groups try to continue worship services, food pantry.

Nick Begich, center, the Republican candidate for Alaska’s lone U.S. House seat, talks with supporters during a meet-and-greet Oct. 12 at the Southeast Alaska Real Estate office near the Nugget Mall. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
Updated vote counts show Begich, repeal of ranked choice voting likely to prevail

Most ballots uncounted on Election Day have now been tallied, with final results due Nov. 20.

Letters of support are posted to the window of the Kachemak Bay Family Planning Clinic on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, following a shooting incident on Monday, Nov. 11 at 5:45 a.m. in Homer. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)
Man arrested for three shooting incidents at reproductive clinic, recovery organization in Homer

Kachemak Bay Family Planning Clinic was targeted twice Monday, suspect cites “religious beliefs.”

A sign welcomes visitors to Hoonah on Aug. 7, 2021 just outside the Icy Strait cruise ship port. (James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)
State commission approves new Xunaa Borough government in northern Southeast Alaska

Area would include Hoonah and much of Glacier Bay National Park, exclude three nearby small towns.

Juneau Assembly Member Ella Adkison (center) helps state Sen. Jesse Kiehl load donated groceries into a van on Saturday during a food drive at Super Bear IGA Supermarket hosted by the Juneau Central Labor Council. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Nonprofits say need is high as collections for annual Thanksgiving events approach

Food bank, other agencies say number of people seeking help is rising due to cost, other factors.

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
Police calls for Saturday, Nov. 10, 2024

This report contains public information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

Most Read