Sen. Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, has won the Republican primary election in Senate District P, with 2,086 votes, or 52.94 percent of the vote over challenger John “Bear” Cox, who garnered 1,854 votes, or 47.06 percent, state elections officials confirmed on Friday, Aug. 28.
The totals announced by the Division of elections included all absentee ballots.
Stevens will face Democratic challenger Greg Madden in the general election.
Rep. Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, who represents House District 32, was unopposed in the primary and faces no challengers in the general election.
Stevens said he is very pleased that the primary is over and is now looking forward to the Nov. 3 general election, but observed that the Legislature will face a difficult year ahead.
“There could be a lot of new folks there (in the Legislature) and we need to be sure we are ready to go when we start in January, Stevens said.
In Senate primaries, Sen. Natasha Von Imhof, R-Anchorage, in a tight race in Senate District L defeated challenger Stephen Duplantis, while Sen Cathy Giessel, R-Anchorage, lost to challenger Roger Holland, in Senate District N.
In the House Republican primaries, Rep. Gabrielle LeDoux, R-Anchorage, lost to challenger David Nelson in District 15, and challenger Thomas McKay beat incumbent Rep, Chuck Kopp, R-Anchorage in House District 24..
The problem legislators will face will be the state budget and revenues and the difficulty of paying for the state’s needs, Stevens said. While he understands some people wanting a bigger Alaska Permanent Fund check, residents also need health and social services, education, police protection and all the other things that the state provides, he said.
While asking a lot of people to tighten their belts, legislators will continue to look for ways to make cuts in the state budget, but it is important to have a state economy and state jobs, Stevens said.
