Alaska Politics Blog : Sen. Wagoner rebuffed from majority

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Erika Bolstad

Erika Bolstad covers Alaska issues, including the congressional delegation, from Washington, D.C., for McClatchy Newspapers. Before joining the bureau in 2007, she spent seven years as a reporter at the Miami Herald, where she covered politics, government and the state legislature. E-mail Erika at ebolstad@adn.com.

Sean Cockerham

Sean Cockerham writes about Alaska state politics. He's worked for the ADN in Anchorage and Juneau, covered the legislature for the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, and covered Washington state politics for the Tacoma News Tribune. E-mail Sean at scockerham@adn.com

Kyle Hopkins

Kyle Hopkins covers rural affairs, general assignments and politics for the ADN. He covered the 2006 campaign for governor, has blogged extensively about Alaska politics, covered Anchorage city government and was a reporter based in the Mat-Su. He grew up in Southeast Alaska and previously wrote for the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner and Anchorage Press. E-mail Kyle at khopkins@adn.com and also find him on our rural Alaska blog, The Village.

Don Hunter

Don Hunter covers Anchorage city government and politics. He is a longtime ADN reporter and editor and wrote for the Anchorage Times. E-mail Don at dhunter@adn.com

David Hulen

David Hulen, the ADN's state and local news editor, is responsible for political coverage. He has been an editor and reporter at the ADN for more than 20 years. E-mail David at dhulen@adn.com

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Sen. Wagoner rebuffed from majority

Posted by Alaska_Politics

Posted: October 23, 2009 - 4:04 pm

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From Sean Cockerham in Anchorage--

Kenai Republican Sen. Tom Wagoner’s request to join the bipartisan majority has been declined, Senate President Gary Stevens confirmed today.

“I’ve just spoken with Senator Wagoner and explained to him that, as much as some of us would have liked to have him aboard and in the majority, there was not support for that,” Stevens said.

Stevens, of Kodiak, was responding to a question asked during a press conference he called today to talk about new committee assignments.

“There was just some concern here at the last minute as we’re facing the end of this two year session, that it might cause some disruption to change the majority caucus, it might change things, it might unbalance some issues out there,” Stevens said.

Stevens would not say if it was the Republicans or the Democrats who didn’t want Wagoner on board.

The Senate majority is composed of 16 of the 20 members of the Senate, so does not need to add another vote in order to get accomplished what it wants.

Stevens also said that new Sen. John Coghill, who has chosen to join the all-Republican minority, will have a seat on the judiciary committee and the ethics committee.

He said Juneau Democratic Sen. Dennis Egan will take the seat on the legislative council (which spends money when the Legislature isn’t in session) previously held by Kim Elton, who Egan replaced.

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