Press Releases

ASRC Endorses Congressman Don Young and Senator Dan Sullivan for Re-election

Utqiaġvik, AK – Members of the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation board of directors have taken the unique step of endorsing both Senator Dan Sullivan as well as Congressman Don Young during a regularly-scheduled meeting, held remotely to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The decision to support both candidates in their respective re-election bids was unanimous.

“This is a rather unusual move for our board, but an important one,” said Rex A. Rock Sr., ASRC president and CEO. “Leadership from both candidates, on issues most important to Alaskans, is needed now more than ever. For the past six years (and even before), we’ve relied on the steady support from Senator Sullivan in a wide variety of issues – from his successful efforts to bolster Arctic defense infrastructure, to working to secure the automatic renewal of the subsistence whaling quota at the International Whaling Commission in Brazil two years ago, to helping to confirm former ASRC executive Tara Sweeney to her current position as the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, to an Alaska Native corporation’s right to be included when CARES Act funds are distributed – not to mention his leadership involving opening ANWR to responsible exploration. Senator Sullivan is certainly aligned with our values, and we’ll need his proven effectiveness moving forward.”

“Congressman Don Young has been working tirelessly to promote Alaska while in Washington for nearly as long as we’ve been a corporation,” added Crawford Patkotak, ASRC board chairman. “As the Dean of the House and the longest serving member of the current Congress, we have relied on that experience for nearly 50 years, from his support of a balance between conservation and the development of our region’s natural resources, to his fight for Alaska’s (and our region’s) role in our national defense. Young has always been an important friend to ASRC, and I look forward to his successful re-election.”

Young has also been named one of the most effective as well as bipartisan members of Congress. The general election is set for Tuesday, November 3, 2020.