Governor Palin
State Capitol
Juneau, Alaska 99801

RE: Juneau Senate Appointment

Dear Governor Palin:
Please accept this as my official withdrawal from the appointment process for Senate district B. It has become clear to me that the Senate Democrats are not going to support any candidate that is not fully supported by the Juneau Democrats. Unfortunately, the Juneau Democrats thus far are not willing to support anyone other than their number one candidate (or a placeholder until the next election).

Despite working for two of the top downtown democrats in Juneau for the last five years, the party leaders maintain their empty claim that I am ‘unknown in the party’. They have also mentioned that I do not have ‘enough political experience’ under my belt, ignoring the fact that I have been elected to the board of directors twice by 20,000 shareholders whose political ties to southeast predate statehood and this country.

This afternoon the Senate Majority Leader told me that he thought it would be illegal to reconsider my name, so the Senate Democrats were not planning to reconsider me or Mr. Grussendorf. A few other Senate Democrats also mentioned legal concerns about the process and reaffirmed their commitment to the Juneau Democrats. It is clear to me that some the Senators are invoking untested legal arguments in order to maintain their partisan stance, but my main point in mentioning this is that the key players are digging in rather than looking for a middle ground for the benefit of Juneau.

It is unfortunate that Juneau is still without a Senator, but I want to thank you for advancing my name. My qualifications have never been in question. My only downfall in this process has been the fact that I am not ‘the one candidate’ (or a placeholder) that the Juneau Democrats are supporting. I am truly honored to be considered to fill Juneau's Senate seat. I am comforted by the broad support I am continuing to receive, but I also look forward to continuing my service in other ways for now.

Sincerely,
/s/
Joe Nelson
Juneau, Alaska 99801

In his letter to Governor Palin, Nelson writes, “It has become clear to me that the Senate Democrats are not going to support any candidate that is not fully supported by the Juneau Democrats. Unfortunately, the Juneau Democrats thus far are not willing to support anyone other than their number one candidate (or a placeholder until the next election).”

“Despite working for two of the top downtown Democrats in Juneau for the last five years, the party leaders maintain their empty claim that I am ‘unknown in the party’. They have also mentioned that I do not have ‘enough political experience’ under my belt, ignoring the fact that I have been elected to the board of directors twice by 20,000 shareholders whose political ties to Southeast predate statehood and this country.”