Election 2012: Republican Senator Cathy Giessel v. Independent Ron Devon for Senate District N

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By Megan Edge

Story Created: Oct 31, 2012 at 7:38 AM AKDT

Story Updated: Oct 31, 2012 at 7:38 AM AKDT

ANCHORAGE - The contest for a senate seat representing a district that begins in South Anchorage and ends in the upper Kenai Peninsula is one of the more contentious races this election season.

With the election is only a week away, the seat in District N is heating up. It is a race between incumbent Republican Cathy Giessel and relative newcomer Ron Devon, running independent of a party.

Both candidates were offered multiple chances to speak with KTVA starting last week, but Giessel declined.

“It’s been a pretty clean campaign, so far I haven’t seen anything too out of the ordinary I guess,” said Devon. “There [are] enough important issues, it’s pretty easy to have a compare and contrast when it comes to the race.”

One of the hottest topics in every race this year is oil taxes. Governor Sean Parnell introduced a proposal in the last legislative session that would have given oil companies up to $2 billion in oil tax cuts every year.

Devon, a longtime local business owner, said that would not have helped Alaska.

“Things that we do here in the state need to make good business sense. So when I am looking at giving an industry two billion dollars a year, I kinda want to know what we are going to get back for it, and so far they haven't been able to tell us.”

Giessel supported the governor’s proposal. During the last session she said she was “comfortable” with the House Bill 110.

Devon and Giessel also differ when it comes to education.

Giessel supported Senate Bill 106, a K-12 scholarship program that would have given money to parents for different educational options, including private school.

Devon said that wouldn't be fair for all of Alaska's students.

“That gives us an uneven playing field for anyone here in the state. I want everybody's kids to have the same opportunities to get a good decent education here in the state.”

Voters in District N have until Tuesday to choose who will represent them in Juneau.

Giessel did speak on-camera with CBS 11 during the primaries and has referred us to that interview. She said her views haven’t really changed since then.
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