Assembly member and former Mayor Austin Quinn-Davidson announced today that she is not running for reelection.
With Quinn-Davidson, Pete Petersen, and likely Jamie Allard and Forrest Dunbar leaving the Assembly, the body could look vastly different in just a matter of months. The April 4 election will likely have seven out of twelve Assembly up for a vote.
Quinn-Davidson is a long-time member of the left-of-center to moderate supermajority that has been a backstop to Mayor Dave Bronson’s conservative agenda. As of now, no one has filed for her District 3 seat in West Anchorage.
Members Chris Constant and Felix Rivera plan to run for reelection. With more than 61% of the vote in her race for House District 23, Allard appears to have won her race. Dunbar has about a 14-point lead in his race for Senate District J. Rivera has served two terms and handily defeated a recall attempt in April of 2021. South Anchorage’s District 6 is also on the ballot. The seat is currently held by Suzanne LaFrance, who has not yet said if she plans to run for reelection.
George Martinez has filed to run for Petersen’s District 5 seat.
The 2023 election will play a major role in shaping Anchorage’s leadership and policy platform. It will determine the majority on the Assembly for the final year of Bronson’s term, and whether they will be able to continue to hold the line against his conservative agenda and his gutting of essential services such as School Resource Officers and programs that help victims of violence.
For the second year in a row, Bronson is trying to move the Mental Health Crisis Team from the Anchorage Fire Department to the Anchorage Police Department. The upcoming April elections could determine how much Bronson is able to do, or undo, as mayor.
Anchorage voters have an opportunity to reshape their government, or keep the progressive majority.
Quinn-Davidson was elected to the Assembly in a special election held in 2018, and reelected in 2020, just as the COVID-19 pandemic was upending the world. In addition to serving on the Assembly, Quinn-Davidson served as acting mayor for eight months after the resignation of Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz.
In a press release, Quinn-Davidson mentioned the alcohol tax, which she was instrumental in helping bring forward the alcohol tax as a ballot initiative, as one of her most impactful accomplishments.
As Acting Mayor, Quinn-Davidson was also part of the team that brought the mental health crisis response team online, to better respond to people experiencing a mental health crisis, and to reduce pressure on existing public safety resources.
In a press release, Quinn-Davidson stated her decision was a difficult one to make, and she plans to spend more time with her family.
