OPINION: Alaska women support Chris Tuck for Anchorage mayor

We are here to express our support for Chris Tuck for mayor of Anchorage. His 14-year voting record in the Alaska State Legislature reflects his support for women and a woman’s right to choose. He is a person of integrity who respects all individuals, regardless of gender, ethnicity or perspective on issues. He believes all people should be provided with opportunities for success and his record proves that.

We support Tuck because he embodies the values that make a great leader. He is transformational, not transactional. He listens to feedback and invites constructive criticism. He builds up the people around him. He is persuaded by good policies rooted in evidence-based research and lived experiences. Tuck is passionate, considerate, ethical and kind.

During Tuck’s tenure as Majority Leader in the Alaska House of Representatives, he brought unity to the table to get the job done for Alaskans. He has negotiated smarter budgets that served all Alaskans, protected working families, and improved our state for the better – especially in times of significant disagreement. He has dedicated much of his adult life to education, fighting to protect and increase funding for pre-kindergarten programs, and advocating to make our university system a gold standard in education and Arctic research.

Tuck helped pass legislation to establish Erin’s Law, which teaches young Alaskans personal body safety, and Bree’s Law, which teaches teens to recognize the signs of dating violence. Chris stood beside Sen. Berta Gardner and Reps. Harriet Drummond and Geran Tarr in support of “equal pay for equal work” legislation.

There has been a lot of misinformation about Tuck and a woman’s right to choose. Tuck supports and has defended our state’s constitution. He consistently puts any personal beliefs aside to ensure that the government doesn’t come between women and their doctors, and while he did vote for requiring parental consent in 2010, Tuck has grown in his understanding of the ramifications and recognizes that good governance requires personal growth and change.

Tuck has gone above and beyond by advocating for policies and legislation supporting women in the workplace, strengthening our consent in law, and ending gender pay discrimination. We know Tuck will continue to fight for municipal policies that support women, including defending a woman’s right to choose, just like he did in his decade-long public service in the Alaska State Legislature.

Most importantly, Tuck listens. He really listens. He believes in public process and bringing everyone along on the journey to good governance. Tuck is one of the most selfless individuals we know. It doesn’t matter how well you know him; if you need something, Tuck will always drop what he is doing to help — no matter how big or small the task. He embraces compassion, human dignity, and respect for everyone.

This is why we believe in Tuck, his dedication, compassion, and integrity to lead Anchorage into the future. He’s a leader. He will make the tough decisions to get our city back on track. Tuck always treats everyone with respect, even when they disagree. Tuck’s record and character clearly show why he is the right choice for mayor of Anchorage. We stand behind and support Chris Tuck, and we hope you will too.

Victoria Ackerman is a retired ASD Teacher. Patricia Anderson is retired from IBEW Local 1547. April Carlson is a grant administrator. Dr. Monique Child is a pediatric doctor. Jessica Cook is an Anchorage School District teacher. Lyn Franks is an adjunct instructor at the University of Alaska Anchorage. Berta Gardner is a retired Alaska state senator. Elvi Gray-Jackson is serving her second term in the Alaska State Senate and also served on the Anchorage Assembly for nine years. Elena Habib is a single mom and an affordable housing and homeless community advocate. Patti Higgins is a realtor and past chair of the Alaska Democratic Party. Tasha Hotch (Jáx Kóoste) is a community activist. Dixie Hudish is retired from IBEW Local 1547. Becky Judd is a community youth advocate. Charity Kadow is a retired State of Alaska Legislative Affairs Agency Director of Southcentral Region employee. Kendra Kloster works in the nonprofit sector. Rachel Lalki is a realtor. Linda Lasher is retired from the State of Alaska. Melissa Loewe is a dental administrator. Theresa McKinnon-Day is a paraprofessional. Monica Moore is retired from the Alaska Energy Authority. Marie Motschman is a children’s book author, illustrator and domestic engineer. Katherine Pfeiffer works for the Anchorage School District. Edie Repp is the chair and co-founder of the Mary McKinnon Fund. Lizzie Newell is an author. Marilyn Russell is a retired teacher. Diane Schenker is a retired State of Alaska Department of Corrections and Public Safety, Legislature and Court System employee. Anita Thorne is a retired Alaska Court System employee. Löki Gale Tobin is currently serving her first term in the Alaska State Senate. Suzanne Walsh is a business owner. Other signees include Elizabeth Ahkivgak, Jan Cox, Sue Levi, Sarah Sledge and Pam Tesche.

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