The Republican National Convention is in full swing now, on its second day. Along with the lower 48 and Hawaii, Alaska is there.
At the Republican National Convention that’s underway in Milwaukee, Gov. Mike Dunleavy pledged Alaska’s 29 Republican delegate votes.
“The furthest northern state, western state and eastern state, the largest bears in the country, largest moose, biggest military, more retired veterans per capita,” said Dunleavy, addressing the RNC. “Once again, we pledge all of our votes 29 delegates to Donald Trump.”
Alaskans joined Republicans from across the nation in nominating the former president for a third time, as Trump named Ohio Senator J.D. Vance as his running mate. Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, said in an interview Monday that there are 100 Alaskans at the RNC, including himself.
“There’s heightened security here with regard particularly to the convention, as there should be,” Sullivan said.
Alaska last sent its Electoral College votes to a Democrat candidate in its second election cycle as a state when the Great Land went for Lyndon Johnson in 1964. Donald Trump won the Great Land’s presidential contest in 2020 by ten points.
Senator Sullivan spoke at length about former President Trump and recent events around the candidate, specifically the failed assassination attempt on Saturday.
Sullivan said Trump’s courage transcends political lines.
“He showed courage, he showed defiance, and again, I don’t think that’s a Republican thing,” said Sullivan. “Americans wanted to see that. Nobody, nobody wants to see an elected politician in our great nation being shot or slain or even an attempt. So the fact that he got up while bleeding and showed that kind of courage and defiance, I think that was an important moment, not just for Republicans for the country.”
Sullivan, who’s a U.S. Marine, said he’s thrilled that former president Trump selected J.D. Vance as his running mate and said that Vance is the first Marine Corps veteran to ever be nominated as vice president.
Trump, it should be noted, entered the convention Monday as I had predicted: With his customary dark jacket, sparkling white shirt, power tie, and a big white bandage on his ear, worn like a badge of honor.
See Related: Donald Trump Makes Powerful Appearance at First Night of Republican National Convention
Why JD Vance?
There can be little doubt about Alaska’s concerns with the policies of a second Trump term: Energy, security, and land use will be high priority. Alaska is in a unique position; not only does the state have vast resources, but it also has a large military presence, the highest percentage of military veterans in the United States, and the lowest population density of all the United States. It lies smack dab in the middle of the Great Circle air lanes between North America and Asia. I have described Alaska as the Crown of the Pacific, and while we can muster only 3 Electoral College votes due to our modest population, we sit in one of the most strategically vital locations on the planet.
As I am fond of pointing out:
- When one talks about energy, one must talk about Alaska.
- When one talks about Pacific Ocean trade routes, one must talk about Alaska.
- When one talks about military considerations, one must talk about Alaska.
- When one talks about Russia and China, one must talk about Alaska.
I’m not attending the convention myself. We can hope that Governor Dunleavy and Senator Sullivan will find time to make these concerns of Alaska known to the man who is looking increasingly likely to be the 47th President of the United States.
Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski did not attend the convention. Make of that what you will.
