Known for journalism, politics Party Democratic Party | Political party Democratic Home town Seward | |
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Full Name Edgar Blatchford Born 1950 Nome, Alaska Occupation professor, journalist, politician, businessman, entrepreneur | ||
Edgar blatchford issues for a new future
Edgar Blatchford was born in Nome, Alaska in 1950 and relocated to Seward, Alaska in 1960. He has served as mayor of Seward (1999-2003) and had sought the Democratic Party nomination for United States Senator from Alaska. However, he lost the nomination to Ray Metcalfe in the August 16 Alaskan primary. Blatchford has been a professor at the University of Anchorage Alaska (UAA) since 1995, teaching in the Department of Journalism and Public Communications. Blatchford also served as Commissioner of the Department of Community and Regional Affairs (1990-1994) under governor Walter J. Hickel and Commissioner of Community and Economic Development (2003-2005) under governor Frank Murkowski. In addition, Blatchford also served on the board of directors of Chugach Alaska Corporation on several occasions.
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Education
Blatchford graduated from Seward High School and holds various degrees to include a Bachelor of Arts degree from Alaska Methodist University and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Washington School of Law. Afterwards, Blatchford received a Masters of Arts degree in Journalism from Columbia University which at the time was considered a terminal degree in the field of journalism.
Stance on Issues
Until the 2016 Alaskan Senate race, Edgar Blatchford had been affiliated with the Republican Party switching parties due to ideological reasons. He strongly supports reform of the 1971 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) saying that it was an experiment that did not accomplish what it was charted to do.
Gun Control
Edgar Blatchford is an advocate of background checks for gun ownership and states that his stance is in line with the intent of the Second Amendment.
Illegal Immigration
Blatchford supports a path for citizenship or other legal status for those illegal immigrants without criminal records.
Alaskan Economy
Blatchford believes smaller Alaskan communities would benefit from a more diverse economic base.
Climate Change
Blatchford believes global warming is a scientific certainty that must be addressed. He wants Alaska to increase its prominence in studying climate change and the arctic.
Commissioner of the Department of Commerce, Community & Economic Development
Blatchford was appointed commissioner of Community and Economic Development on January 2013 by governor Frank Murkowski. Murkowski cited Blatchford's prior experience as commissioner of Community and Regional Affairs under governor Hickel as a prime reason for Blatchford's selection. On July 22, 2005, Blatchford resigned his position as commissioner of Community and Economic Development due to conflict of interest allegations between his official state duties and ties with Chugach Alaska Corp.
Commissioner of the Department of Community and Regional Affairs
Blatchford worked as a member of governor Hickel's cabinet in developing the Community Development Quotas program aimed at providing educational and vocational opportunities to rural Alaskans in Bristol Bay and other western Alaskan communities.
Business Ventures
Edgar Blatchford founded the publishing company Alaska Newspapers, Inc. (ANI) in 1983. In 1990, Blatchford partnered with Calista Native Corporation to procure a total of six rural Alaskan newspapers. ANI was chartered to serve sparsely populated regions in Alaska to include parts of the Kenai Peninsula, Bristol Bay, Prince William Sound, the Aleutian Islands and the Yukon-Kuskowim Delta. In 2011, Blatchford purchased The Tundra Drums and Seward Phoenix Log from Calista Corp.; subsequently, Calista liquidated its share in the remaining newspapers in August 2011.