The Alaska Republican Party State Central Committee today voted to withdraw support from three Republican sitting House members who have organized with a Democratic-led majority.
Gabrielle LeDoux of District 15-Anchorage, Paul Seaton of District 31-Homer, and Louise Stutes of District 32-Kodiak, defected from the Republican-led majority to accept powerful committee positions with a Democratic Party organization.
Although Republicans had won the majority of seats in both houses of the Alaska Legislature, the defection of the three caused the Alaska House to be controlled by Democrats for the first time in 22 years.
“These legislators snatched defeat out of the jaws of victory,” said Party Chairman Tuckerman Babcock, who had brought forward a motion to sanction the three. “It’s as if they put on a team shirt for the opposing team. We have every right to try to replace the vacancies they’ve left on our team.”
The three were given an opportunity to defend their actions before a vote was taken.
After discussion, the central committee took a vote to enforce its rules against the three, which means they will receive no financial support from the party or any district or Republican club, and that the party may seek to replace them.
The vote passed 56-4.
