Sullivan focuses on partisan attacks during election year speech to Alaska Legislature
- Mark Sabbatini
- 21 hours ago
- 5 min read
Questions from lawmakers about health insurance, immigration enforcement, other Trump administration actions also reflect political allegiances
By Mark Sabbatini
Juneau Independent
U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, issued a barrage of attacks against former President Joe Biden and other Democrats during the senator’s annual address to the Alaska Legislature on Wednesday.
Sullivan, who is seeking reelection to a third term this fall, reiterated a range of talking points from previous speeches in recent months while touting Alaska’s "comeback" since President Donald Trump began his second term 13 months ago. The senator mentioned Biden by name 11 times during the 90-minute joint session, while using Trump’s name three times.
"Alaska has lived under a pendulum," Sullivan said during remarks referencing Trump’s first term that began in 2017. "One administration encouraging development of our economy and resources, then another administration coming in and saying ‘no, through executive orders, we're going to shut it down.’"
Highlights revisited by the senator included Trump’s executive order mandating the repeal of regulations that inhibit resource development in Alaska, a major planned expansion of U.S. Coast Guard ships and facilities in the state, and passing tax cut measures including exempting them for tips and overtime. Many of the specific projects he referred to such as a natural gas pipeline, new oil fields, data centers and additional Coast Guard icebreakers are years away if they do indeed become reality.
The senator faced similarly partisan questioning from legislators in the majority and minority caucuses during a 40-minute question-and-answer period following his 50-minute speech.
Sullivan, for instance, repeatedly referred to the $1.36 billion Alaska is set to receive during the next five years under a Rural Health Transformation Fund. But Rep. Genevieve Mina, D-Anchorage, said restrictions on use of those funds won’t help Alaskans now without insurance due to the end of Affordable Care Act subsidies and the ill-effects of other Trump administration actions. "We can't use the money to help Alaskans who are self-employed who are dealing with rising health insurance premiums, who are risking losing their business or having to choose to get health care coverage," she said. "We can't use the funds to help clinics pay for basics like broadband or expanding their facilities. We can't use the funds to help providers pay their frontline workers and make sure we retain those workers."
"Why are these funds so difficult for us to use to address Alaska's core issues and how will this finite fund help address the thousands of Alaskans who will lose their health insurance?" Mina asked.
Sullivan, in response, said he’s "not aware of all those restrictions," but said as the process evolves during the next few years discussions between state and federal policymakers can include altering provisions to allow more flexibility. He said restoring health insurance subsidies are also an ongoing discussion among lawmakers in Washington, D.C.
The senator’s speech didn’t touch on some of the Trump administration’s biggest controversies such as tarrifs — which some studies indicate cost households more than the tax cuts save — and immgration enforcement efforts by federal officers. Sullivan was challenged on the latter by Rep. Alyse Galvin, I-Anchorage, who asked about a mother and her three children in Soldota who were taken into custody Tuesday by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The mother and her children — ages 18, 16 and 5 — came to the U.S. in 2023 and she is married to a U.S. citizen, Galvin said.
"I can promise you she's not a rapist, she's not a murderer," she said. "Apparently, there's not any evidence of even a criminal record. The question is how can you help us work together to help our families here know that we're going to have a safe place?"
Sullivan said he wasn’t aware of the situation, but asked her to provide further details to his office since "we've had a good track record of getting things done by the federal government, whether it's funding or other issues."
Among the frendly questioners was state Sen George Rauscher, R-Sutton, who told Sullivan "we want to know how to help you" with the challenges he says he’s facing from Democrats in D.C. Similarly, Rep. Will Stapp, R-Fairbanks, asked if large-scale military investments in Alaska could be expected to continue if Repubicans lose their majority in the U.S. Senate in the election this November.
Sullivan is facing what is expected to be a close race against former Democratic U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola, with the Cook Political report rating the contest "Lean Republican." Republicans currently hold 53 of the 100 seats in the U.S. Senate, and voters’ atttitudes about Trump are expected to be a decisive factor in determining which party has the majority when the elections are over.
The final question put to Sullivan on Wednesday was about his generally high level of support for Trump.
"You've said ‘yes’ to Trump many times," said state Sen. Forrest Dunbar, D-Anchorage. "I'm wondering if you're willing to say ‘no.’ For example, if we saw a deployment of federal forces to Alaska like we've seen in Minnesota or if the federal government demands we purge our voter rolls will you say say ‘no’ to Trump?"
Sullivan said he has indeed expressed disagreement with the Trump administration on some issues.
"I disagree with them on some of the funding freezes, some of the layoffs of federal employees that were very important to Alaska," he said. "We've made huge impacts on all of those issues."
In a press conference with reporters after his speech, Sullivan also said that while he generally supported the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operations there were actions he disagreed with. Among those were two U.S. residents killed by federal officers in Minneapolis last month being characterized by Trump administration officials as terrorists.
"ICE can learn from these tragedies," he said. "I didn't agree with any of the statements about these people are domestic terrorists, or whatever those were. American citizens have the right to their second and first amendment rights, and I don't think this should be targeted for that reason."
• Contact Mark Sabbatini at editor@juneauindependent.com or (907) 957-2306.
