Anchorage desperately needs not only a new name in leadership, but a qualitatively different experience of leadership. With 25 years of management experience, and six years on the Assembly – including two as Chair – and with deep integrity, a commitment to listening and collaboration, progressive values, and prior election success in difficult districts, that person is undoubtedly Suzanne LaFrance, *not* Chris Tuck.
We are a diverse group of Anchorage women gathering to write this because we find it troubling that in a year when Anchorage’s mayor is making national headlines repeatedly for incompetence, corruption, and bigotry, opposition from the center and left is once again setting up to divide our votes. We also find it tiresome that in the summer when the most popular blockbuster is inviting audiences to critique patriarchy and imagine alternatives to male domination in politics and society, some Democrats are unable to imagine a different future for Anchorage.
Anchorage has the opportunity to elect a wonderful woman mayor. LaFrance’s track record of working collaboratively with people of all backgrounds to find solutions is well documented. Her grace and patience in the face of belligerence is laudable. Her leadership on issues of importance to families in Anchorage, such as childcare, make her an amazing candidate. She has the skills and integrity to clean up Bronson’s mess and bring trust and competence back to city government. We are thrilled she is running.
Despite it being 2023 and our city having never elected a woman mayor, and despite there being a progressive woman well-positioned to win against Bronson, Chris Tuck decided to enter the race. He did this despite many progressives asking him not to. He and his supporters have been putting out communications that highlight the label of Democrat, trying to call up the kinds of values we typically associate with that, in order to stake out a high ground on progressive issues. Many Democratic elected officials seem to be lining up behind him for party-related reasons as well.
In addition to that fatiguing and depressing feeling of “Here we go again, another white man we are not inspired by and yet are being asked to support,” we feel called to point out that it’s patently untrue that Tuck is more progressive than Suzanne on issues that matter to voters and that matter to us. She is consistently pro-choice; he is not, and that is on the record. For example, he voted — note, against the other members of the Democratic caucus — to require teens to remain pregnant if their parents won’t provide consent for abortions or if they cannot convince a judge. He has called publicly for the Democratic party to abandon its support for reproductive choice. LaFrance is running on real change, prioritizing childcare and public health, and addressing the risk factors that allow Anchorage to have the highest rape rate of any city in the country.
Tuck has a history and reputation of sexist beliefs and behavior, including a lack of support for victims of gender violence. Some of us have witnessed and addressed these issues directly with him. We cannot help but believe these attitudes and behaviors will influence his administration’s culture and priorities. We know – and feel – the difference between those who truly care about issues that primarily affect women and children, and those who don’t.
This time, we don’t need to push down that uneasy feeling in our stomach to settle for a candidate like Chris Tuck. Instead, we have a true leader of progressive, humanistic values and integrity in Suzanne LaFrance.
After claiming in a recent Op-Ed that he is a coalition builder, Tuck sent out a fundraising letter claiming the Assembly “wasted” the last two years due to inaction when in reality the Assembly protected Anchorage from the worst of the Bronson administration. It’s unclear who Tuck wants to build a coalition with, but if hiring Nick Begich and consulting with Bernadette Wilson is any indication, it’s not with progressives.
We cannot afford three more years of Bronson’s mismanaged departments, cronyism, hostile environments for women and LGBTQ people, covering for perpetrators of violence, and ineffective, cruel approaches to homelessness. We need someone to lead with humility and strength to restore a functioning municipal government and make Anchorage safe for all. This will not be achieved by defaulting to a man simply because he has status in the Democratic party. Tuck’s record and behavior reflect opposition to women’s full autonomy and personhood. Some people who are supporting him may not have known all these things – but when we know better, we have the chance to do better.
We cannot afford to support him when we have the opportunity to elect the progressive woman already in the race. We have the chance to learn from past mistakes and not divide our vote. We have the opportunity to value women’s leadership, wisdom, and well-being, and create a safer and more just Anchorage. We sincerely hope those of us wanting to replace Bronson have the wisdom to change course, if needed, and to use this opportunity well.
Laura Norton-Cruz is a social worker, documentary producer, advocate for children and families, and a mother. Itzel Zagal (Mexihca) is a poet, human rights advocate, doctoral student, and mother. Melissa Mayer (Tsimshian) is an environmental scientist and mother who runs a women-owned business. Tyonna Bounds is a young professional and childcare provider. Polly Carr is a mother and community member. Kate Constenstein is a small business owner and parent. Tasha Boyer is a born-and-raised Thai Alaskan and executive recruiter. Barbara Norton is a women’s health professional, advocate for maternal health, mother, and grandmother.
This post is a submission to The Alaska Current. Please send submissions to news@thealaskacurrent.com.