Amid Independence Day celebrations, Zach Falser traveled by boat to the village of Napakiak to campaign for his run on the Alaska House of Representatives.
“This boat does float right?" is the first question I had for Zach Fansler.
“Oh yeah... The motor is what we’re really worried about," Fansler said.
Today Zach Fansler's campaign trail is the Kuskokwim River.
In addition to water and snacks, Fansler fills his boat for the short journey with gifts and campaign signs for villagers.
“They’re blue and gold, which are the campaign colors chosen from the start," said Mitchell Forbes, Fansler's campaign manager, who's sitting next to me in the boat.
“They’re Alaska’s state colors. They’re also the school colors of Bethel Regional High School, the Warriors," Forbes said.
Forbes tells me about himself. "I went to BRHS, moved here when I was three with my parents and stayed here since," Forbes said. He's about to start his last year of college at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff. He’s young for a campaign manager, only 21, but has already worked other campaigns like the Forest Dunbar’s 2013 campaign against Don Young.
The day is sunny and hot, rare weather for this time of year. After half an hour, we arrive in Napakiak.
Fansler says today they haven’t scheduled appointments and and they’re hoping to attend the village’s Independence Day festival, which is actually on the Second of July.
Fansler says he plans to talk to villagers individually.
“One by one, that’s the way. I think just get out and meet the people and have the same message that we’ve had the whole time, find out what people are concerned about," Fansler said. "We’ve been hearing the same thing in a lot of these villages. They feel like they don’t have a voice, and they feel like Juneau is not working for them. So we’ll talk to them and have a dialogue."
The first person the group talks to is a man standing behind a grill selling hamburgers. His name is Lloyd Black. He’s the manager for the local native cooperation. Black is concerned that the power cost equalization subsidy could disappear.
“How do you think that PCE will go?” Black asks.
“Well, we need to keep that. That’s vital for us out here. If we don’t have PCE, we’re in a world of trouble," Fansler responds.
I followed up with Black after Fansler moves on.
“Are you happy with Bob Herron and what he’s doing currently in Juneau?”
“I can’t say I’m satisfied with him, because I haven’t heard anything. I think they need to come out here more to see issues that involve high paying bills, electricity, [and] gas."
None of the villagers I spoke with said they had met Rep. Herron. Most did not know his politics. One group suggested that Fansler and Forbes take down an aging Herron campaign sign on an IRA building. Fansler decided to put up their own sign next to it instead.
Games of ‘tug of war’ were announced over a microphone, which Fansler commandeered to make a speech.
“Feel free when you see us walking around to shake our hands, ask questions or tell me what you feel. Because it’s important that we have a leader that listens to the people and does what’s in the best interest of his constituents. Thank you very much. I hope to get everybody’s votes August 16," Fansler said.
“I think you got my vote," the announcer said, along with a few others.
A tribal police officer named Nastasia Nicolas shows the campaigners the village jail.
Fansler tells her he believes public safety is a concern but neither of them go into specifics. Nicolas says she likes that Fansler made the trip to Napakiak and will probably vote for him.
The campaigners put up a few more signs as men climb a greased poll in the center of the main square. Then it’s time to go back upriver to Bethel.
In total, the campaigners talked to around a dozen people, many who offered their support on the spot. Forbes says they came to Napakiak because the village has one of the highest voter turnouts in the region.
The candidate says he was pleased to see so much support. But not everything went well. On they way back to Bethel, the boat ran out of gas.
Fansler has also campaigned in Akiak Akiachak, Napaskiak, Kwethluk, Oscarville and Bethel.