McGuire, Meyer Benefit From TV Ads Supporting Coalition They Have Disavowed

Republicans featured in committee's ads to support bipartisan coalition

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By Bill McAllister
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Story Created: Oct 8, 2012 at 5:06 PM AKDT

Story Updated: Oct 10, 2012 at 9:12 AM AKDT

ANCHORAGE - Generally, groups run political ads to support candidates they agree with -- or to oppose candidates they don't agree with.

But two Republican senators have benefited from TV ads supporting a caucus they have abandoned.

Those politicians are in the rare position of getting support from both sides of an issue.

Anchorage Republican Senators Lesil McGuire and Kevin Meyer have been members of the Senate bipartisan majority, which blocked Governor Parnell’s bill to reduce oil production taxes by up to $2 billion a year.

But you wouldn't know that from some of their comments today.

"I plan to join a group of individuals that are willing to take on the issue of government reduction in crude oil taxes and take on the issue of fiscal terms for commercialization of natural gas,” McGuire said at a candidate forum hosted by the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce. “I believe that the current group that was together demonstrated quite clearly and quite publicly that they had a failure to do that."

But the two senators have benefited from TV ads being run by an independent group including the AFL-CIO.

The ads have backed the coalition and have stressed on the question of production taxes that “it's our oil.”

Meyer said: "I can just assure you that no one asked for my permission nor did I give anyone my permission to use my photo in those ads, but I do agree that it's the state's oil."

McGuire says she checked with the Alaska Public Offices Commission. "When I called APOC, it was made very clear to me that I am not allowed to discuss or coordinate anything about those ads. It’s against the law."

McGuire and Meyer say they wouldn't rule out joining a new bipartisan coalition, if it's more conservative philosophically.

McGuire’s opponent, Democrat Roselynn Cacy, favors a coalition. "There will be a new coalition next time, and I will cooperate with anybody in the Senate that appears or wants to join me in working towards Alaska."

But with Meyer and McGuire bailing, the current coalition is likely headed toward demolition.

Meyer’s opponent, Democrat Jacob Hale, did not attend today's candidate forum.

Vince Beltrami of the AFL-CIO, part of the independent group running the pro-coalition ads, says McGuire’s and Meyer’s remarks are disappointing.

But he says that ad buy ended Friday, anyway.

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