Berkowitz-Benson Ticket Unequivocally Endorses Scott McAdams

At a fundraiser for the Ethan Berkowitz-Diane Benson Alaska Gubernatorial ticket in downtown Palmer this evening, the question was asked, in light of news reports on APRN and elsewhere that Ethan Berkowitz had endorsed Lisa Murkowski in the U.S. Senate race, both candidates answered that they fully support Scott McAdams in the latter race.

Ethan stressed that although he has worked with Murkowski in the Alaska legislature and respects her, he would "easily prefer working with Scott." Diane stated that Murkowski has helped Benson on Veterans advocacy issues in "important, meaningful ways," but also passionately said, "I'm a Sitkan too. I love Scott and what he has done there. I look forward to working with him."
This evening, Ethan Berkowitz released this statement:

Joe Miller barely won the GOP primary for Senator under a barrage of lies. After the primary he continued this mortar assault on the truth, this time misquoting me in his fundraising conversation with national radio host, Mark Levine, about who I am supporting for Senator. Joe Miller is falsely telling people I endorsed Lisa Murkowski at today’s debate. That is not the case and I have told Scott McAdams I support his candidacy. I simply quoted what Scott McAdams himself said last week, that for the good of Alaska we cannot have Joe Miller in the United States Senate.

Scott McAdams knows I support his efforts and Lisa Murkowski knows I respect her for her history of being honest with Alaskans. I cannot say the same thing about Joe Miller.

At one point in his campaign talk this evening in Palmer, when asked how the ticket will do in the Bush, Ethan said "We've got the only Tlingit-Jewish ticket in the history of Alaska."

Someone in the audience, it may have been Katie Hurley or the person next to her, quipped "I didn't know Diane's Jewish."

Ethan's talk centered on education, value-added industry, high tech infrastructure and breaking the partisanship that seems to be deepening with the outside-financed Tea Party campaign tactics.

I've watched these two campaign against each other and together now for almost three years. Both have the kind of vision that seeks empowerment of Alaskans - as individuals and as members of an "ownership" community of our resources, that seems like an evolutionary step forward from what Wally Hickel sought to accomplish.

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