Gov. Mike Dunleavy, left, and Nancy Dahlstrom sit in the Peninsula Clarion offices on Friday, July 22, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Gov. Mike Dunleavy, left, and Nancy Dahlstrom sit in the Peninsula Clarion offices on Friday, July 22, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Dunleavy leads in fundraising, latest campaign filing shows

Dunleavy, along with running mate Nancy Dahlstrom, raised more than $600,000 during the most recent filing period

Incumbent Gov. Mike Dunleavy continues to lead the gubernatorial pack in fundraising, according to a new round of campaign disclosure forms filed this week with the Alaska Public Offices Commission.

The 30-day reports from candidates, which were submitted 30 days before Election Day on Nov. 8, show that Dunleavy, along with running mate Nancy Dahlstrom, raised more than $600,000 during the most recent filing period, which began on Aug. 7 and ended on Oct. 7.

That’s compared to the more than $400,000 raised by Democratic gubernatorial candidate Les Gara and running mate Jessica Cook and nearly $460,000 raised by nonpartisan candidate Bill Walker and running mate Heidi Drygas. Former Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Charlie Pierce raised just under $8,000 and reported more than $24,000 in expenditures.

As of Oct. 7, Pierce and running mate Edie Grunwald had about $6,100 remaining in their campaign account. The duo came in fourth during the Aug. 16 state primary election, securing them a spot on the Nov. 8 general election ballot, where voters will rank governor and lieutenant governor candidates.

Since that election, Pierce resigned as mayor of the Kenai Peninsula Borough amid an allegation of harassment that an Anchorage law firm hired by the borough found to be “credible.” A statement released by the borough assembly said Pierce was asked to consider stepping down as part of a resolution to that situation, however, Pierce has previously said he planned to step down to focus on his gubernatorial bid if he were to advance past the Aug. 16 primary.

The campaign spent more than $18,000 on Aug. 17, the report shows. Those expenditures include a $12,000 payment to campaign treasurer and volunteer Juanita Ross for accounting services and about $6,100 worth of reimbursements and airfare expenses for Pierce’s running mate, Edie Grunwald.

Ross said Monday that she has been with Pierce’s campaign since the beginning and has previously served as treasurer of his mayoral reelection campaign. As treasurer, she said she’s in charge of the campaign’s accounting and filing with APOC. Ross said she has worked for free while on the campaign and that Pierce initiated the $12,000 payment as a way to pay her for the services.

Pierce said Tuesday that his campaign continues to raise and received “limited donations” and that he is scheduled to participate in more debates leading up to Nov. 8. Grunwald, he said, is attending events in the Matanuska-Sustina area. The campaign has flexibility for additional events, “if (their) presence is desired,” he said.

Full campaign finance reports can be found on the Alaska Public Offices Commission website at aws.state.ak.us.

Reach reporter Ashlyn O’Hara at ashlyn.ohara@peninsulaclarion.com.

More in News

The Homer Spit is evacuated during the July 28 tsunami warning at about 10:50 p.m. (Photo by Sarah Knapp/Homer News)
Tsunami warning test scheduled for Wednesday morning

The National Weather Service will conduct a statewide test of the tsunami… Continue reading

A mock up of the Soldotna Field House. (Photo via City of Soldotna)
Soldotna designates field house funds

Construction of a field house in Soldotna took a step forward last… Continue reading

Rep. Ben Carpenter, R-Nikiski, speaks during a meeting of the House State Affairs committee on Tuesday, March 28, 2023 in Juneau, Alaska. (Mark Sabbatini/Juneau Empire)
Carpenter, Ruffridge target state finances

The central Kenai Peninsula’s representatives in the Alaska House of Representatives have… Continue reading

COVID-19. (Image courtesy CDC)
COVID-19: Local cases fall after last week’s spike

After a spike of 50 new COVID-19 cases was reported in the… Continue reading

A tripod set by the Soldotna and Kenai Rotary Clubs stands over the ice of the Kenai River in Soldotna, Alaska on Tuesday, March 28, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Local Rotary Clubs testing new contest for next winter

The Rotary Clubs of Soldotna and Kenai are performing a test in… Continue reading

Alaska State Troopers logo.
State Trooper convicted of attempted sexual abuse of a minor

Vance Peronto, formerly an Alaska State Trooper based in Soldotna, was convicted… Continue reading

Soldotna City Hall is seen on Wednesday, June 23, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna moves ahead with staff recruitment strategies

Soldotna City Council members last week gave city administration a thumbs up… Continue reading

State representatives Tom McKay, R-Anchorage, and Andi Story, D-Juneau, offering competing amendments to a bill increasing the per-student funding formula for public schools by $1,250 during a House Education Committee meeting Wednesday morning. McKay’s proposal to lower the increase to $150 was defeated. Story’s proposal to implement an increase during the next two years was approved, after her proposed amounts totalling about $1,500 were reduced to $800.
Borough, Soldotna call on Legislature to increase school funding

The City of Soldotna last week became the latest entity to call… Continue reading

Kenai River Brown Bears goalie Nils Wallstrom celebrates winning a shootout over the Fairbanks Ice Dogs on Saturday, March 25, 2023, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Brown Bears sweep Ice Dogs, move into 3rd place

The Kenai River Brown Bears earned a two-game sweep over the Fairbanks… Continue reading

Most Read