Dear Alaskans-

My plan to serve the people of Alaska is simple: I will continue to visit your communities, see how you live, where you work, and how you work. I will be quiet and listen to your concerns, share your thoughts, address your issues, embrace our differences and treat every Alaskan with respect, not just because I am your representative but because I too am an Alaskan. I must understand our federal issues with a local, regional, and statewide perspective. I will be the strong advocate Alaskans deserve, and I will put Alaska's needs before mine and before any political party.

Read Moore

KCAW Raven Radio in Sitka interviewed Matt when he was campaigning in Southeast Alaska earlier this week.

Read Moore

The Fairbanks Newsminer asks Matt 11 questions and Matt has 11 answers in response.

Read Moore

In an August 11, 2012 press release, Congressman Don Young challenged the claim made by the EPA Region 10 Administrator, Dennis McLerran, that the EPA had received, "well over 90 percent" support for the agency's Draft Bristol Bay Watershed Assessment.

Don Young continues by saying, "Once again the EPA is not listening to Alaskans – and even worse, they're misleading the public."  Don points out that most of those emails of support were received from outside, radical environmental groups that organized mass email campaigns.  Don Young claims that Alaskans should be the ones who should have a voice on the proposed mine and not outside comments.

This is not the first time we have had a politician tell us what we should think and what we should do.   It is not the first time we have heard Don Young tell us to rally against outside interests.   His version of the story builds momentum and ignores the fact that not one, not two but seven federally recognized Native tribes from the Bristol Bay Region requested that the EPA initiate a Watershed Assessment.  The reason they asked for an assessment was to protect fisheries and drainages of the premier salmon fishery of the world.

I think you could make an argument that the EPA is not the outsider here...they were invited by Alaskans to help them.  The real outsider is Don Young who has spent more time in Washington than most Alaskans have been alive.

Matt is looking forward to his campaign trip to Juneau and Sitka over the next few days.  Matt will attend the Juneau Democrats annual Tongass Democratic Picnic on Suday from 12-3 PM at Sandy Beach Park on Douglas Island in Juneau.  On Monday Matt goes to Sitka.  Sitka Democratic Chair Keith Nyitray will be escorting Matt to an interview with the Sitka Sentinel, and two separate meet and greets with Sitka Democrats in the afternoon and evening.