Lieutenant Governor Kevin Meyer announced on Tuesday afternoon that he will not seek re-election in 2022. He made that announcement at the tail end of a press conference discussing a plan to achieve improvements to the state’s election process.
Meyer said:
“I am announcing today that I will not be running for re-election to Lieutenant Governor in 2022. It’s a job I’ve really loved, and I cherished the time I’ve had with you Governor to do that. Frankly, after 30 years of elected service, I’m kind of looking forward to sitting this one out and being able to focus 100% of my time on having the best election we could possibly have in 2022. It’s indeed been an honor for me to work with you as the Lieutenant Governor, Gov. Dunleavy. I’ve watched the Governor lead us through some tough times. I live here in Anchorage, but in March 2020 when COVID was hitting, the Governor was here all night, sometimes sleeping on his couch or getting a hotel room and I was able to go home to my family. He’s seen us through, not only COVID, but earthquakes, flooding, etc., and he will continue to lead our great state through whatever is brought to our state. So, again, it’s been a distinct honor, truly a privilege for me to serve.”
Nearly 30 years ago, Meyer decided to run for the Anchorage Assembly. After eight years on the Assembly, eight in the House of Representatives, 10 in the State Senate, and heading into his fourth year as Lieutenant Governor, he says he was driven by the commitment of listening to Alaskans.
Meyer says that being impartial and not running for office will free him up to meet several challenges head-on and without bias or conflict. He says 2022 will be an election unlike any other, saying that it will require all of his focus.