Andy Cizek, a Soldotna resident running for the Alaska Senate District D seat as a registered member of the Alaska Independence Party, has withdrawn from the race, according to the Alaska Division of Elections.
Cizek, who did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday evening, saw 172 ballots cast in his favor in the Alaska Primary Election on Aug. 20, good for 2.61% of the vote, according to results certified on Sunday.
Incumbent Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, R-Nikiski, landed 2,924 votes, good for 44.30%, closely followed by challenging Rep. Ben Carpenter, R-Nikiski, who had 2,660 votes and 40.30%.
On election day, Cizek said that he felt the electorate was “lacking accurate information to make an informed decision,” in part because he hadn’t campaigned much, but that he had been engaging voters in one-on-one conversations.
After a Monday deadline to withdraw, he was listed as having dropped out of the race.
In his candidate statement, published when he filed to run in the election, Cizek called himself the “real choice for a conservative voice,” saying that he would champion “Alaskans, not special interest groups,” a smaller government, paper ballot voting, a “full” Alaska Permanent Fund dividend and “God given rights,” while opposing government spending, increased taxes, special interest groups and “the binding caucus.”
Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.
