Green to lead new Alaska Senate

Wasilla Republican Lyda Green will lead a new bipartisan Alaska Senate organization.

Lawmakers announced Nov. 17 that they had formed a coalition of five Republicans and eight Democrats. If the coalition holds, it would be the first bipartisan majority in the Senate in more than a dozen years.

Democrats gained one extra Senate seat during the recent state elections, changing the Senate makeup to 11 Republicans and nine Democrats, which Sen. Kim Elton, D-Juneau, said gave Democrats more leverage and “created an environment for bipartisanship.”

Green said the message she heard from voters — particularly with the win by Republican Gov.-elect Sarah Palin — was a call to “put partisanship aside.” Coalition members said they will concentrate on areas of agreement, such as a gas pipeline and an ethical government.

The Republicans are Green, Gary Stevens of Kodiak, Bert Stedman of Sitka, John Cowdery of Anchorage and Charlie Huggins of Wasilla. The Democrats are Elton, Albert Kookesh of Angoon, Lyman Hoffman of Bethel, Donny Olson of Nome and Bill Wielechowski, Bettye Davis, Johnny Ellis and Hollis French of Anchorage.

Stevens will serve as majority leader, Cowdery as Rules chairman and Hoffman and Stedman as co-chairmen of the Senate Finance Committee.

—The Associated Press