By Duncan Baumgarten Aqua blue chairs hugged against the black round tables. Purple and white napkins sat folded neatly inside of glasses. Posters of “partners”, or corporate sponsors, hung behind the front table. Cameras and photographers lined the back wall, eyes and lenses trained at the front. Long tables with black tablecloths, microphones, and pitchers of water were textbook political discussion fare.
On October 16, the Carlson Center in Fairbanks hosted the US House of Representatives Candidate forum. Congressman Don Young was the first to enter the room, fifteen minutes before the event officially began. He talked with a few constituents who had already arrived, and were seated at the round tables costing $300 each. With a checkered shirt, Alaska state seal pin, and a well-trimmed beard, he listened intently to the majority elderly population in attendance. Alyse Galvin, his opponent, hadn’t even taken her plum purple jacket off before walking over to speak to the constituents in the back row. She shook hands, had short conversations, and even shared the occasional hug with her possible constituents. Young did not visit the back row. As opening statements began, Galvin thanked the audience for coming, and made it clear that the state “needs new leadership in Congress”. She was running to “serve the people of Alaska”. She mentioned Young’s tendency towards partisan issues. Young declared himself a “big believer in individual rights”, and assured that he knew how to “get things done”. The first question posed to the candidates concerned national military spending. “Whoever controls Alaska, controls the world,” said Young. “We need a strong military. If we don’t, we can’t protect the rights of Alaska, or the world.” The Master of Ceremonies, Vice President of Shannon and Wilson, Christopher Darrah, asked Young about improvements to the congressional delegation. “Elect me,” Young replied, with a smile. He was met with sparse applause. “We need the right people in the right places,” said Galvin. “We must have readiness facing Russia.”
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