Earlier this month the ANCSA Regional Association (ARA) endorsed Tara Katuk Sweeney in the race for Alaska’s sole seat in U.S. Congress. The ARA Board of Directors cited her proven ability to listen, learn and bring people together to solve problems, successfully advocating for responsible resource development, infrastructure projects, and equitable access to broadband, housing, and transportation. The ARA said that she has a unique understanding of the state’s issues. Receiving such an endorsement helps a candidate stand out, especially when you are in a pool of 48 candidates vying for the seat held by the late Congressman Don Young.
Apart from serving as a Campaign Co-Chair for the re-election for Congressman Young, Sweeney spoke on KSRM’s “Sound Off” on her qualifications for running:
“I grew up in rural Alaska and spent many years working as the former executive for Arctic Slope Regional Corporation. I’m currently a small business owner and in 2018, President Donald Trump nominated me to serve as the 13th Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs at the U.S. Department of the Interior. I am proud to say that I was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate. I was the first Alaska Native to serve within the federal government in this capacity. I’ve had a career of advocating for Alaskans at home and fighting for Alaska in Washington.”
Sweeney discusses what sets her apart from the pool of other candidates:
“I’ve spent my professional life working on behalf of Alaskan interests in the private sector and in the government. I understand the relationship that needs to be fostered as well as how to navigate the federal agencies. The time that I spent in the Trump Administration provided me with an experience that sets me apart from all of the other candidates. I’ve fought in the trenches and, when faced with adversity, I fought back. When Sen. Cantwell tried to tank my nomination hearing, I pushed back. When Sen. Schumer went on the attack against me personally, I stood up and fought back.”
There will be a special primary to fill that spoke formerly held by Young on Saturday, June 11, 2022. The special election will be held on Tuesday, August 16, 2022.
Click here for more election information. Click here to listen to the interview from the 10:00 a.m. hour on Monday.
Photo credits – courtesy of the Bureau of Indian Affairs website.