PODCAST · news
ADN Politics
by Anchorage Daily News
A podcast navigating Alaska's changing and sometimes wild political landscape.
Episodes
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What to know about the Anchorage mayor’s race
Anchorage voters will soon decide a hugely consequential mayor’s race. Unlike the last mayoral election, the city is no longer in the middle of a pandemic, but Anchorage is still dealing with significant challenges. After three tumultuous years, incumbent Mayor Dave Bronson faces nine opponents…
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The education bill failed. Now what?
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy made good on his threat last week, vetoing a $200 million education bill that had passed the Legislature on a bipartisan vote. This week — amid immense pressure on all sides — lawmakers fell one vote short of overriding that veto. Now the future of state education…
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How Alaska’s education funding bill ended up in limbo
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy this week threatened to veto a hard-fought bill to increase funding for Alaska’s public schools, unless the Legislature agrees to back some of his own education priorities. Now, lawmakers in Juneau and school districts across the state are scrambling to sort out what to…
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How serious is Alaska’s natural gas crisis, really?
A recent cold snap in Southcentral Alaska raised the profile of a looming problem for the region: Natural gas from Cook Inlet powers a big chunk of Alaska, including Anchorage, the Kenai Peninsula and the Mat-Su – but energy companies say that gas won’t be available for much longer. How is that...
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The Alaska political stories we’re watching in 2024
The New Year has arrived, bringing with it an election year and the next Alaska legislative session. In this episode, host Elizabeth Harball talks to Daily News reporters Iris Samuels and Sean Maguire about the top storylines they are tracking in 2024 — from continued battles over education…
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A crisis at Alaska’s Office of Public Advocacy
Part of a little-known state agency is near collapse, and it’s not clear what will happen to the vulnerable people it serves. Daily News reporter Iris Samuels recently dug into issues at Alaska’s Office of Public Advocacy. Facing severe staffing issues, it turned to a private nonprofit to help it...
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Snow plow politics, revisited
In this episode, we return to the topic of snow plow politics in Anchorage. In November, once again, the city was hit with back-to-back snowstorms. And once again, the roads were a huge mess. For a winter city that relies on plowing so residents can get to work and schools can open, snow plowing...
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Two Deaths in Kotzebue
In 2018 and then in 2020, two women were found dead on the same property in the Northwest Alaska community of Kotzebue. The women were 25-year-old Jennifer Kirk and 30-year-old Susanna, or “Sue Sue,” Norton. They both had been in relationships with sons of Kotzebue’s now-former mayor, who owns…
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Let’s talk trawlers
As Western Alaska communities face a shocking decline in the salmon runs they depend on, fishing operations called factory trawlers are drawing more scrutiny than ever before — the vessels are not going after salmon, but they can still scoop some up in their nets. With support from the Pulitzer...
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How one Assembly member sees Anchorage’s housing crisis
Anyone who has tried to buy or rent a home in Anchorage recently has been faced with the realities of the city’s housing crisis. Costs have shot up, while at the same time, there isn’t a lot of inventory to choose from. The issue has wide-ranging implications for the city, impacting everything…
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Anchorage’s election interference investigation, explained
A top official in Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson’s administration resigned this month after being accused of breaking election laws. It’s a complicated saga that has unfolded over months – an investigation into the mayor’s IT director involving a challenge to this year’s city election results. In...
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Dunleavy's education veto
This week, Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy vetoed $87 million in education funding passed by the Legislature — half of a one-time funding increase for public schools that education advocates said was badly needed. Almost immediately, some lawmakers were calling to override the veto. Host Elizabeth...
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How the legislature got to a budget deal
It took marathon negotiations behind closed doors, strained relationships between lawmakers, tens of millions in additional capital spending and a one-day special session, but this week, the Alaska Legislature managed to pass a budget. In this episode, host Elizabeth Harball talks to ADN…
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What's happening in Juneau? What isn't happening?
The Alaska Legislative session is entering its final days – at least, officially. Meanwhile, lawmakers still haven’t passed a budget, figured out the size of this year’s Permanent Fund dividend or agreed on whether to permanently increase funding for public schools. Can they? In this episode…
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The Sullivan Arena homeless shelter is shutting down. Where do people go?
Anchorage’s Sullivan Arena is entering its final days as a mass homeless shelter. This week, many of the people staying there were forced to leave. And for many of them, there isn’t anywhere to go. ADN reporters and photographers were on the ground talking to people as they made their way out of...
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The Judy Eledge tapes
Last week, the Daily News and ProPublica published a report that included secret recordings of a top Anchorage Library official, in which she calls Alaska Natives “woke” and “racists” and bemoans “the left’s” influence on libraries. That official is Judy Eledge — a longtime conservative stalwart…
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With a month left to go this legislative session, budget and education bills still unresolved
This year’s Legislative session in Juneau is in its fourth quarter, with just a month left for lawmakers to finish their work. But even with that deadline looming, some of the biggest political issues we’ve seen over the last couple months remain unresolved. We’ll talk about where things stand…
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ADN Politics returns next week
ADN Politics will return next week! For more local and state news, subscribe to the Anchorage Daily News today. This episode of ADN Politics is sponsored by SteamDot Coffee.
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What Anchorage’s election means for the future of city politics
Campaigning in this year’s Anchorage election was defined by voter fatigue with bitterness and drama in city politics. Ballots are still being counted, but so far, results show definitive leads for most candidates aligned with the current Assembly majority — a group that has consistently been at...
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The German Ambassador’s visit to Alaska
The German Ambassador to the United States, Emily Haber, is in Alaska for the first time this week, while participating in the Arctic Encounter Symposium in Anchorage. In this episode, host Elizabeth Harball talks to Ambassador Haber about her visit, changing dynamics in the Arctic, energy...
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The story behind why Alaska leaders could get big raises
This month, a commission that decides salaries for the Alaska Legislature, the governor and top state officials voted to give all of them a significant raise. If the proposal goes through, state lawmakers could receive a 67% pay raise, alongside a roughly 20% raise for the governor and his…
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The battle over the Willow project
President Joe Biden this week approved ConocoPhillips’ Willow oil project on Alaska’s North Slope. The approval came despite massive pressure from environmental groups to kill the project, who see it as a black mark on Biden’s broader efforts to deal with climate change. Meanwhile, Alaska…
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Alaska’s governor enters the education culture war
This week, Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy rolled out a “parental rights” bill that would put new limits on sex education in schools and prevent transgender students from using bathrooms that align with their gender identity, among other measures. Christian conservatives are welcoming the bill, while a...
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An interview with the man investigating Anchorage city government from the inside
The Anchorage municipal ombudsman has been at the center of several recent news stories about turmoil within city government. That includes a recent incident when municipal employees accused someone in Mayor Dave Bronson’s office of saying they were checking surveillance videos to see who was…
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A record string of deaths behind bars in Alaska
Last year, a record 18 people died while in custody of the Alaska Department of Corrections. Seven of those deaths were suicides – also a record. To better understand the circumstances behind the deaths, Daily News reporters obtained Alaska State Troopers investigation reports and medical…
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Is this the end of the Pebble mine?
After decades of protests, lobbying, lawsuits and bureaucratic twists and turns, the federal government has killed the Pebble mine. Well, maybe. At the very least, this week’s decision by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency marks a major turning point for the controversial mine proposal. In...
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Inside the new Alaska Legislature
Gears have started to turn in the Alaska Legislature. A Republican-led majority came together in the House after a small group of independent and Democratic lawmakers from rural Alaska agreed to cross the aisle. In this episode, host Elizabeth Harball talks to ADN reporters Sean Maguire and Iris...
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The story behind the Demboski letter
Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson has been no stranger to controversy in the year-and-a-half since he took office. But last week, the former municipal manager sent a letter to the mayor and other city officials that landed like a bomb in the middle of city politics. It contained a list of accusations...
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The Legislature is ready to get to work – almost
The Alaska Legislature gavels in next week, and we’re beginning to get a picture of what the upcoming session in Juneau will be like. Some issues — like who’s in charge in the Senate — have been largely resolved. Other questions — like organization in the House and what the Legislature will be…
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A conversation with Alaska Senate Majority Leader Cathy Giessel
Anchorage Republican Cathy Giessel is returning to the Alaska Legislature in January as Senate Majority Leader as part of a 17-member majority made up of Republicans and Democrats. In this episode, Giessel talks about what she would like the Legislature to accomplish this year, the governor’s…
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Anchorage streets have been a snowy mess. Does it have to be like this?
To state the obvious, it snowed a lot over the past week or so in Anchorage. Yes, it’s Alaska, and yes, it’s December. But many of the city’s roads have been a mess, and Anchorage residents have been asking: Does it have to be this bad? Host Elizabeth Harball talks to ADN reporter Zachariah…
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Alaska's 2022 election is over. Now what?
The votes are counted, the choices ranked, and the 2022 election results now mostly in the books. Though a couple of legislative races are being recounted, Alaskans have a pretty clear picture of who they’re sending to Washington and Juneau, and what that means for state politics going forward.…
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The red wave didn’t reach Alaska, either
Nationally, in the midterm elections, a predicted “red wave” of GOP victories didn’t materialize. Results aren’t yet finalized in Alaska, but with some notable exceptions, it’s fair to say Republicans aren’t in a position to win all the races they’d hoped to win. Host Elizabeth Harball talks to…
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Election Day in Alaska is over. Who's winning? And what might change?
Much remains up in the air after election day in Alaska. But as vote counts started to roll in, some clear storylines emerged — a ballot measure to hold a constitutional convention was soundly defeated, Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy appeared to have the votes to retain office, Republican Sen.…
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Down to the wire: What we’re watching before Alaska’s polls close
Election day is almost here — not that anyone in Alaska needs reminding, with campaign texts, mailers and signs everywhere you look. In this episode of ADN Politics, reporters Iris Samuels and Sean Maguire lay out what to watch for in the last few days before the election: What can we learn from...
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Hurtling toward election day in Alaska: What to know about statewide races
Election day is Nov. 8, Alaskans have started casting ballots, and things are moving fast in the races for U.S. House, U.S. Senate and the governor’s office. The last week has seen cross-party endorsements, in-party rebukes, a series of debates, rulings on campaign finance complaints, a…
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Why Anchorage might close six elementary schools
The Anchorage School District announced this week it is considering shutting down six elementary schools — the result of a budget crisis hitting not just Anchorage, but school districts across the state. In this episode, host Elizabeth Harball talks to Daily News education reporter Morgan Krakow...
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What happened to Trump’s candidates in Alaska?
Former President Donald Trump wants to exert his influence in Alaska this November, with endorsements for several Republican candidates: U.S. House candidate and former Gov. Sarah Palin, U.S. Senate candidate Kelly Tshibaka and Gov. Mike Dunleavy. But with just weeks to go before the November...
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Back to the Sullivan Arena — the latest on Anchorage’s homelessness crisis
The ongoing homelessness crisis in Alaska’s biggest city has hit another turning point — or a U-turn. In a highly controversial move this summer, Anchorage’s mayor shut down the sports arena the city had been using as a mass homeless shelter since the start of the pandemic, and bused people there...
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Abortion, the PFD, education and more: Why Alaskans are battling over a constitutional convention
There’s a yes-no question on the November ballot that has the potential to make big changes in Alaska. It could change how judges are appointed, how education is funded and how the state decides the amount of the Permanent Fund dividend. And it could lead to an abortion ban in Alaska. The…
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Why federal climate action could mean more mines in Alaska
The Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law this summer by President Joe Biden, is one of the most significant actions the U.S. government has ever taken to address climate change. It could also lead to more mining in Alaska. In this episode, host Elizabeth Harball is joined by ADN reporter Alex...
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What’s at stake in this year’s Alaska legislative elections
Nearly every seat in the Alaska Legislature is up for election in November, and there’s a lot at stake. On this episode, host Elizabeth Harball is joined by ADN politics reporter Sean Maguire to talk about how legislative races are shaping up so far, and what that could mean as the state…
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A conversation with Mary Peltola
On this episode, host Elizabeth Harball is joined by Mary Peltola, recently elected as Alaska’s lone member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Peltola talked from her hometown of Bethel, during a brief visit before heading to Washington, D.C. to be sworn in to fill the term of the late Rep.…
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How Mary Peltola won Alaska's special U.S. House election
In a major political upset, Democrat Mary Peltola this week beat Republican former Gov. Sarah Palin to be Alaska’s next representative in the U.S. House. Who is Mary Peltola? How did she win? How did the Republican candidates lose? And what does Peltola’s victory mean in the lead-up to the…
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Anchorage’s homeless crisis In three acts
How did a crisis with homelessness come to dominate local politics in Alaska’s largest city? On this episode, ADN reporters Emily Goodykoontz and Michelle Theriault Boots explain the major policy changes in Anchorage that have kept homelessness in the headlines. From a pandemic emergency shelter…
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A very special primary
After months of campaigning, lots of national attention and more than a few surprises — Alaskans went to the polls on Aug. 16 in the state’s first regular primary election since the passage of an elections overhaul passed in 2020. We’re unpacking what happened and what it means between now and...
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Trump comes To Alaska
Earlier this summer, former President Donald Trump made good on his vow to come to Alaska. Thousands of people attended a July 9th rally in Anchorage, where Trump campaigned in support of the Republican candidates he’s endorsed – and against Senator Lisa Murkowski, one of just seven Republican...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
A podcast navigating Alaska's changing and sometimes wild political landscape.
HOSTED BY
Anchorage Daily News
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does ADN Politics have?
ADN Politics currently has 48 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is ADN Politics about?
A podcast navigating Alaska's changing and sometimes wild political landscape.
How often does ADN Politics release new episodes?
ADN Politics has 48 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to ADN Politics?
You can listen to ADN Politics on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts ADN Politics?
ADN Politics is created and hosted by Anchorage Daily News.
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