October 31, 2016
Monday PM

Incumbent State Representative Dan Ortiz has been working hard to recruit outside special interest groups and individuals to support his vulnerable re-election campaign. So far, Rep. Ortiz has raised $34,206.00 from these outside special interest groups and individuals; a whopping 59% of his total campaign funds. These special interests include: big-labor organizations, Anchorage lawyers and union bosses, the Democratic Party, and liberal politicians.

Representative Ortiz claims to be an independent, but that’s not what his campaign bank account shows. When Representative Ortiz needs money, he flies up to Anchorage to ask Mark Begich and Tony Knowles for their help. Earlier this year, three of the most notable liberal Democrats in the state, Mark Begich, Tony Knowles, and Ethan Berkowitz, hosted a fundraiser for Ortiz and three freshman Democratic members of the State House. Begich, Knowles, and Berkowitz referred to them as “our Freshman Four”, proving that they claim Ortiz as a freshman Democratic legislator.

Furthermore, Dan Ortiz received a contribution from the Executive Director of the Alaska Democratic Party and the Juneau-affiliate of the Democratic Party. Mark Begich and several liberal Anchorage Democrats donated the maximum amount possible to Representative Ortiz.

I cautioned voters with regard to the claims made by Representative Ortiz during the course of the campaign. These liberal-Democratic special interests have donated to Representative Ortiz because he shares their ideology and agenda. Dan Ortiz claims to have a record of ‘voting in the best interest of Southeast and Alaska as whole’, when the simple truth is Representative Ortiz has a record of obstructionism.

Representative Ortiz voted against Education funding, opposed funding the Alaska Marine Highway System, received a “D” rating from the NRA because he opposed gun ownership rights, and supported Governor Walker’s veto of the Permanent Fund Dividend. Dan Ortiz has a record of siding with the liberal-Democratic special interests out of Anchorage; he has given them priority over his constituents here in District 36. Representative Ortiz’s decision to run for re-election as an ‘independent’ is not only disingenuous, but downright deceptive. His voting record and campaign bank account shows how partisan of a politician he truly is.

In keeping with the theme that he has established for his campaign, as a ‘non-partisan independent’, I hereby call on Representative Ortiz to return all campaign contributions that he has received from outside special interests. Finally, I ask Representative Ortiz to STOP the double-standard campaign tactics of falsely claiming that his record has benefitted the people of our District.

Trevor A. Shaw
Chairman of the District 36 Republican Party
Ketchikan, Alaska

Received October 31, 2016 - Published October 31, 2016

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