JUNEAU (AP) — Democrat Les Gara announced Feb. 14 that a teacher will be his running mate in his bid for Alaska governor this year.
Gara said Jessica Cook, of Palmer, will run for lieutenant governor as part of a ticket with him. Cook teaches at an Eagle River middle school.
Cook, speaking alongside Gara at an event in Anchorage, said she and Gara “care about Alaska’s kids and we believe that everyone deserves a chance to be successful regardless of race, regardless of gender, regardless of wealth or poverty.”
Cook, born in Anchorage, is a parent with 20 years of experience as a schoolteacher, two master’s degrees in education, a history of involvement with teachers’ unions, and no prior experience in public office.
Gara represented Anchorage in the state House for 16 years before decided not to seek reelection in 2018.
Under an election system, approved by voters in 2020 and being used for the first time this year in Alaska, candidates for governor and lieutenant governor run as a team for the primary. The top four vote-getting tickets will advance to the general election, in which ranked-choice voting will be used to ensure the winner has the support of a majority of voters.
Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy plans to seek reelection but has not named a running mate.
Others who have announced plans to run include former Gov. Bill Walker, an independent, who is running with former state labor commissioner Heidi Drygas, and Republican Rep. Christopher Kurka, of Wasilla, who has said he is running with Paul Hueper, of Homer.
The deadline to file for the August primary is June 1.
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