Support Mead Treadwell in primary

Mead Treadwell is a Republican candidate for governor and I’m supporting him. Here’s why: First of all, the only candidates who are against the Permanent Fund Dividend are not Republicans. They’re the “other guys.”

I’m proud that all the Republican candidates want you to continue to have your dividend. All of them agree on that; there are no differences among them on that issue.

But Mead is the only Republican candidate with government, political and business experience.

For government service, he interned for Wally Hickel and eventually served as Deputy DEC commissioner under Governor Hickel. He was co-founder, with Hickel, of the Yukon Pacific Corporation, and Chair of the U.S. Arctic Research Commission under President Bush. He’s a global expert on Arctic policy and economics.

Politically, he served as Alaska’s 13th Lt. Governor, elected in 2010. You won’t find problems with the Division of Elections when he was Lt. Governor like you hear about today. He was responsible. He did the job effectively and quietly – no issues with the voting precincts; thank you Mead!

He’s a businessman, an entrepreneur; he doesn’t need a government paycheck.

Here’s what his web site says: “Mead Treadwell built a successful business career as a high technology entrepreneur who helped start companies that compete in today’s global marketplace. One of them developed the digital watermarking system that helps protect world currencies and DVDs from counterfeiting. Another introduced the high tech camera that launched Google’s Street View, MapQuest 360 View, and was used by our U.S. military’s street level mapping programs in Afghanistan and Iraq to protect our troops and save lives.”

Well, that impresses me; I’m pretty good with current computer stuff but I have to admit I will sometimes ask my son to fix my phone. I’ll bet Mead doesn’t have to do that!

Again, he’s the only Republican candidate with this complete profile of government, political and business experience. The only one!

There’s one more thing you need to know about him: he was a single father raising his children. His wife died of brain cancer and he talks about having three children and a minivan, then says his children raised him well. I like that modesty.

I too am a single father. And I know plenty of single mothers. This man, Mead Treadwell, personally understands the difficulties we as single parents have faced and do face raising our children in this fast-paced world, but keeping family values at the top of the list.

I also strongly believe two of our greatest Alaska statesmen, the late governor Hickel and the late U.S. senator Ted Stevens would have without a doubt supported Mead for governor.

So, I’m supporting Mead Treadwell for Governor and ask you to join me on Aug. 21, the primary election, and vote for him.

Neal D. DuPerron

Chairman, Alaska Republican Party District 30