The Alaska Native regional for-profit corporation for the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Calista Corporation, said that it will not be endorsing the region’s incumbent candidate for state representative. Calista’s Public Advocacy and Engagement Committee announced its endorsements last week, which did not include State Rep. Conrad “CJ” McCormick.
Statewide, Calista reconfirmed its endorsement of United States Rep. Mary Peltola to serve another term in Washington D.C.
For state office, all but one of the candidates Calista has endorsed are incumbents in their respective districts. The exception is newcomer and Toksook Bay resident Nellie Jimmie, who made a strong showing in the August House District 38 primary election, capturing more than 42% of the vote.
Calista’s vice president of corporate affairs who sits on the committee that made the endorsements, Thom Leonard, said that Jimmie is a good candidate.
"Regarding the endorsement of Nellie Jimmie for District 38, the committee members felt that she brings some unique and critical views compared to other candidates, particularly with Nellie being a strong, Alaska Native woman," Leonard said.
Prior to Calista’s endorsement of Jimmie to represent the district, the corporation’s president and CEO, Andrew Guy, had donated $3,000 to Jimmie’s campaign, the single largest donation of the race.
The next-largest individual donations ahead of the primary went to Rep. McCormick – separate $1,000 donations from GCI executives Ronald Duncan and Greg Chapados.
Calista did not back McCormick in the last election, which was two years ago. Instead, they endorsed board member and former Association of Village Council Presidents head Myron Naneng Sr. as a write-in candidate, though he was ultimately trounced by McCormick in the election.
Both McCormick and his predecessor in House District 38, Tiffany Zulkosky, have voiced opposition to the proposed Donlin Gold mine. Calista owns the subsurface rights to the site of the proposed mine on the upper Kuskokwim River and said that one of its criteria for endorsing candidates is their support of “sustainable natural resource development in the region.”
Other candidates Calista has endorsed in November’s general election are Dillingham independent Rep. Bryce Edgmon for House District 37, Nome Democrat Neal Foster for House District 39, and Nome Democrat Donny Olson for Senate District T. The three candidates are part of the core of the bipartisan Bush Caucus, a group of legislators that at times can be the swing votes in the Legislature.
The voter registration deadline for the general election is Oct. 6. Absentee and early voting begins on Oct. 21, ahead of the Nov. 5 general election.
