Yes, this is a very interesting development.  The effect may be minimal, though.  Bill Walker is not a name that will drive folks to the polls, unlike that disgusting weasel or Ted Stevens' name recognition.  Any support Walker had may evaporate with him renouncing the Republican name.

The battle for the senate seat will be a lot higher priority in people's minds and pull people to the polls - not the governer's race this time.

I don't know the effect the MJ initiative will have.  It would have passed a few years ago if it was not so over the top (expunging criminal records, restitution to anyone convicted of a related offence, etc.).  Those guys I hope learned their lesson this time around.  F potheads, all the same.  Not all druggies get into industrial accidents, but most everyone is involved in an industrial accident IS high and pisses hot on a UA.

I don't see what difference it makes.  Dems will vote for Walker, GOP for Parnell.

I still support Bill and hope it works.  I think it was too risky to continue running the three way race because not enough republicans peeled away from Parnell to put Bill into comfortable political territory.  Bill was still gaining a lead over Parnell, but put yourself in his shoes...  Do you gamble that a three way race will absolutely positively work?  I can't remember how much he put into the 2010 race but I think it was over $300,000.  And I'm sure he has put in the same or more this time.  In just June and July of this year I think he put in over $150,000 of his own money.  He doesn't have that kind of money to keep funding his campaign like that out of retirement savings.  If he doesn't win this time he will never run again.  

While I admit that I had to choke this down and really use my brain to figure out the political strategy I see why Bill did it.  Byron wasn't going to be allowed to drop out.  If he did, the dems were going to just put Hollis in that spot, or someone else.  They were not going to have an empty spot in the Governors race.  By taking Byron on who he can work with, it allowed for the first time in Alaska history for there to be no democrat oval to fill in for Governor.  That is pretty freakin amazing when you stop and think about it.  All he had to do was change his voter registration card to undeclared.  I think Bill and Byron talked enough over this campaign and felt they can make it work.  I think Bill thinks taking Byron in was the best move for the State at this time.  If you want to move the State forward you have to win the election.  Period.  If you don't win everything is out the window and we continue down this horrible path as a State until we crash.  I'm willing to trust Bill that this is the correct move for us.  With the State going broke at the rumored tune of $7,000,000 a day, only 500,000 barrels of oil a day going through TAPS now which has declined every year Parnell has been in office, hundreds of millions of dollars being wasted on more studies about maybe building a gas-line...there is NO DEAL FOR A PIPELINE, ONLY STUDIES, and what appears to be an unbelievable amount of corruption in his administration, he has had almost 6 years to get it done and fix the problems and yet here we are.  I am sick of it.

Bill and Byron are going to make a ton of political mistakes and have a metric shit ton of negative ads thrown at them.  But in the end, Craig Fleener is still with Bill's campaign, and I hope everyone truly sees the big picture here and votes for Bill.  

Blademan is right and I will support Bill at the polls,but without major changes in Juneau with the old  boy`s network not much will change .They will pass big spending and Bill will veto some ,got to take care of the help! Next will be how will French and his friends fit into this ? Lot`s of questions to be asked before November,The biggest being can we /will we get rid of the old guard???

That's what I find so interesting right now.  Hollis is no where to be found in Bill's camp.  I was personally worried about what deals were made when this all went down.  But as far as I know, there is no deal for the dems other than Bill switching to undeclared.  Hollis never even showed up to the press conference to show his support for this.  My own personal opinion here...  Hollis is mad and isn't going to be part of this.  I know of no deal with him for anything.  

On the other hand, Craig Fleener is still very much part of the campaign and is right there with Bill.  I like him.  Tons of great credentials and knowledge about our State.  Alaskan Native, Military guy, college educated, former deputy commissioner for Fish and Game under Parnell...Quit that to run with Bill, very knowledgeable on arctic issues, etc. etc...  Very down to earth and I have had a great time hanging out with him and getting to know him.  We were chatting a couple of weeks ago about heading out to go shooting hopefully this fall yet.  I think he joined the Marines in 1986 and ended up getting some 50 cal. time.  He talks about how much fun he had doing that a lot.
http://craigfleener-com.hostek-dubay-bz.vps.ezhostingserver.com/?page_id=13
So having him around and still being part of this makes me feel great!  If Bill pulls this off and wins this critical election, I think Craig will be free to do what ever he wants in the administration.  

Parnell is the only person I've hard from Juneau that at least says that the state should spend less. The legislature certainly seems to want to spend more each year.

So the declining oil production is Parnell's fault? When hasn't it gone down? Please tell us which governor, legislature, or law made oil production go up. Since Parnell has been saying that ACES hasn't and won't put more oil in the pipeline, I don't think you can blame declining production on him. Give SB21 the same 7 years that ACES had and then if there is still declining production we can blame Parnell.

Are the hundreds of millions of dollars the ones that Palin gave to TransCanada? That is called a contract, and Parnell has little to say about that now.

As for the gas line, while I would support Bill's vision and version of a large volume gas pipeline to southcentral over the other (incredibly stupid) versions of a gas line, I have yet to see any numbers showing that it would be profitable to an extent that it could or would be on a revenue par with oil. The energy density and profit just doesn't seem to be there. If the profit was there, private industry would be building it. Plus, until there is somewhere to sell it to and ship it to, where is it going? Just because Alaska wants a big gas line doesn't mean it makes sense to spend billions of state dollars on it.

Don't get me wrong: Parnell is not a great gov. But he doesn't want to spend billions of our money with no apparent return. We've been down that road, and while I'm not averse to spending State money on infrastructure, I just don't see where or to who the gas will be sold, or how it will be competitive in the market.

Asia will always want more gas.

Since the "No" vote, a lot more activity has started up on the slope. For the past 6 months, a lot of projects were on hold waiting on to vote to come back and the day after, they started up again. Alpine is getting expanded, new satellite drill pads are being built, and older fields are being revisited with new technology.

Having been part of the TransCanada project pullshit in the past, it pisses me off to no end. We had done 3 summers worth of surveying the same damn ground and still nothing happened. We can sell the shit out of it overseas if it can get to port, but I don't see it happening this decade.

Yes...It appears the gas will go to Asia.  REI from Japan has already completed studies and needs the gas.  They wanted to meet with Parnell but he refused.  Bill showed a binder full of 400 announcements about a gas-line getting built or progress being made from the last 30 years or so to the public in a forum April 27th 2014.  The situation is ridiculous.  I don't believe Parnell this time either.  Big picture is what matters.  The last year or two running up to an election means nothing to me personally.  The amount of political corruption in my opinion in Parnell's administration, (which is effecting my job) is another big reason I am supporting Bill though.  It's terrible.  

I strongly encourage everyone to go meet Bill if you haven't and ask him point blank the tough questions you may have.  Go to his website or follow him on Facebook to find out where he will be.  Get involved.  Then make up your mind.  Do not let the internet or media make up your mind.  Tomorrow there is Town Hall meeting for State Employees.  Please check his website.  

http://www.usdebtclock.org/state-debt-clocks/state-of-alaska-debt-clock.html

Guess who changed his mind and will now push for a minimum wage increase.  Glad I voted for Miller in the primary.  I fukin knew it.  He still gets my vote in the general, unless Miller runs a write-in campaign.

"“Dan Sullivan appears to be able to read polls and knows that opposition to the wage increase might have helped him in a closed primary, but it hurts his appeal to general election voters,” the AFL-CIO’s statement quoted its president, Vince Beltrami, as saying."

So Romney wasn't quite right; in Alaska more than 50% want free stuff (and so may not vote for Sullivan if he is against the minimum wage increase). If Sullivan doesn't get elected, it doesn't matter what he or his supporters believe.

Blademan since you seem to be on the inside perhaps you could tell them to get their stances on the issues put on their website.  "Coming soon" has been up for a while and I'll be damned if I will consider a candidate without any stances listed.  Also if you could tell me what his stances on the issues were before the combined ticket so that I can see what Walker compromised on?

Byron Mallot former Democratic candidate for governor was co-chair of the reelection write in campaign for Lisa Murkowski.  Maybe everyone else knew this I found it interesting.

Hmmm...  Been out of town for a bit and didn't know about that.  Sounds like they will have the "Issues" link back up and running next week.  I never printed off what everything Bill listed before on that link so I don't know what they are changing.  I know my "one issue" is our gun rights and I am completely comfortable that he will protect them.  However, my main reason for supporting Bill, other than we are going to be broke very soon, is what I see as massive political corruption in Parnell's administration.  I am at my breaking point with it and I'll be damned if I am not going to get involved with a candidate that will help me clean things up.  Parnell had his chance.  

Edit....  Typed out most of what was going on.  Forget it.