From Richard Mauer in Juneau --

After 18 years in the Alaska Legislature representing South Anchorage and the Hillside and more recently as the Senate’s minority leader, Sen. Con Bunde announced his retirement this morning.

A retired educator, Bunde, a Republican, said he’s been frustrated by his status in the Senate’s four-member minority caucus and by the policies of the ruling Senate bipartisan coalition with its majority of Democrats. He also cited unspecified medical problems in his family.

Sen. Con Bunde to leave Senate: Bunde, R-Anchorage, announced his retirement after 18 years in the Alaska Legislature at a news conference of the Senate minority on Thursday, March 11. Photo by Richard Mauer.

Bunde made his announcement at the end of a news conference by his caucus. Bunde is the Senate’s minority leader.

He earlier expressed his concern that the state isn’t doing enough to prepare for the day when the oil runs out and the trans-Alaska pipeline and must be dismantled. At the current rate of state spending, each Alaskan would have to pay $13,000 in state taxes to make up for a complete cut off of oil revenue, he said.

Bunde has indicated for months that he might not run this year, and that’s attracted a lot of interest the seat. Cathy Giessel, a nurse practitioner and Republican Party activist who was field coordinator for Sean Parnell's 2008 run for Congress, has filed with the division of elections to run.

Mark Moronell, a cardiologist and partner at Alaska Heart Institute, has also announced plans to run in the August Republican primary. Janet Reiser, a member of the Chugach Electric Association Board of Directors and the former president of NANA Pacific, is running for the seat as a Democrat.

Senate District P includes the Hiland Road area of Eagle River and the Anchorage Hillside, then runs south along Turnagain Arm through Indian, Girdwood, Whittier and Hope.