Two of the three major candidates for governor swapped bartending stories during what might be called their most spirited debate of the fall campaign to date Wednesday as they discussed workforce, business regulations and other hospitality industry issues during a forum hosted by the Alaska Cabaret, Hotel, Restaurant and Retailers Association.<\/p>\n
Democrat Les Gara and independent Bill Walker, participating in their 12th candidate forum since the Aug. 16 primary, continued criticizing Republican incumbent Mike Dunleavy for his absence from all but one of those events (and neither mentioned by name Republican candidate Charlie Pierce, who is far behind in polls and been largely absent from the campaign since the primary).<\/p>\n
Gara’s and Walker’s ongoing criticisms of the governor were also constantly invoked in their responses to questions during the 90-minute midday forum at Louie’s Douglas Inn. Befitting the barroom atmosphere, the forum was untimed and candidates were not alerted to questions in advance.<\/p>\n
But while Gara and Walker agreed on many of the issues discussed — another persisting element of the campaign — both distinguished themselves in specific policy areas and their approach to delivering their message.<\/p>\n
Walker, who served as governor from 2014 to 2018 before losing his reelection bid to Dunleavy, emphasized from the beginning that most of his career has been as a businessman, including managing a hotel with 100 employees. That experience has included coping with difficulties from bureaucracies as well as bar patrons with poor bathroom etiquette.<\/p>\n
“I can really imagine what you’re dealing with in the state of Alaska,” he said, adding a qualifier that perhaps he “couldn’t imagine” some of current difficulties audience members are having in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. “I’m anxious to hear from you at what can be done regulatory-wise to make the industry better for you.”<\/p>\n
Gara, a member of the Alaska House of Representatives from 2003 to 2019, said he is aware of the hospitality industry’s issues as a part owner of an Anchorage cafe, although his share is small enough his suggestions tend to be “we should serve whole milk with our coffee.” He noted he has also been a waiter and bartender — even if the latter was just for a single shaky day as an emergency fill-in — and as with many questions during the debate referred to some of his primary campaign themes as solutions to industry-specific challenges.<\/p>\n
“Our biggest export is people,” he said in his opening remarks after talking about his hospitality experience. “Our biggest export is talent. That’s not how you build an economy.”<\/p>\n