Former Gov. Bill Walker is running for governor in 2022, with former state Labor Commissioner Heidi Drygas as his lieutenant governor, the team of nonpartisan candidates announced on Tuesday, Aug. 17.
The pair said they hope to bring together a team of Alaskans from across the political spectrum to work together to better the state’s future.
“The last few years have driven divisiveness and caused economic alarm and instability at a time when our state’s future is at stake,” Walker said. He promised to work with legislators “to bring an end to this fiscal uncertainty that continues to threaten our future.”
Drygas said that residents want leaders willing to reach across the partisan divide and work hard to solve the state’s biggest challenges. “We can’t let national politics rise above our state’s interests,” she said. “Alaskans deserve better.”
Both Walker and Drygas were born in Fairbanks and are lifelong Alaska residents. Walker and his wife Donna reside in Anchorage and Drygas in Juneau, with her husband Kevin and their 3-year-old daughter Olive.
By filing to run for the statewide office on Monday, Aug. 16, they may now begin fundraising.
Walker served as governor from 2014-2018 and ran for re-election with Byron Mallott as his running mate. After Mallott abruptly resigned from the race over disclosures of what was described as “inappropriate behavior” Walker suspended his reelection campaign, but it was too late to pull his name from the ballot, which also listed candidates Mike Dunleavy and Mark Begich, both of whom garnered more votes in the election, which Dunleavy won.
Candidates for the 2022 gubernatorial race also include, to date, incumbent Gov. Dunleavy, current Lt. Gov. Kevin Meyer, and Libertarian Billy Tolen.
Names of all candidates will appear on the primary election ballot, with the top four advancing to the general election, and the winner determined by ranked-choice voting.
