By RYAN SHELDON
Some of you may already know me, and I figured I’d reintroduce myself. I’m Ryan Sheldon of Talkeetna and I’m excited about 2024.
Having recently been elected as chairman in Alaska’s District 30 Republican Party (spanning from Point Mackensie to Anderson and Healy), I am optimistic about the things that all Alaskans can be doing to be productive in this highly contested 2024 election season and beyond.
As you know, politics can be contentious struggles pitting brother against brother, neighbor against neighbor, and Alaskan against Alaskan.
Whereas we all may disagree from time to time, perhaps we can take a different approach, a strong approach, an approach which embodies the very principles which Alaska was founded, and that Alaskans carried on through the many generations with which I share personal history. The approach: Unity.
When one says “Alaska belongs to the unified,” this is not a cute quip to be batted around with inaction. Rather, it something to be focused on. Unifying our state should be priority #1 and of the utmost importance if we plan on continuing prosperity in our great state. It is no secret that because of the contention of recent years, Alaskans have seen little success in building bridges among neighbors, friends, family members, etc.
Unifying ourselves does not mean agreeing on every item, nuance, or thing. But rather it is a choice, similar to the fact that love itself is a choice. For when we choose to love, we see fruit born from our actions. And when we want to bear fruit in our communities we must make the choice to unite ourselves.
For example, the chairs of the Republican-drawn Region 2, which encompasses Districts 25-30, have decided to have an incredible open line of communication with one another across all districts within the region in hopes of furthering the efforts of our communities engagements. Certainly, each chair may have alternative views on differing subjects, but it is our choice to see past these differences and communicate with one another to usher in a better Alaska, deeply engaged in our respective communities.
As we approach the 2024 Alaska Republican Convention, I encourage my fellow party members to take a deep breath and assess what we are about to embark upon as Alaskans looking to improve our State’s posture and serve our fellow neighbors via the Republican Party. After all, elected officials of any rank and kind are indeed servants of those with no voice who have entrusted us all — delegates, chair, or governor — to speak on their behalf, and fight for their general welfare.
As I take my own deep breath and pause I see two landscapes. One which looks much like our beautiful, pristine Alaska territory, harmoniously existing. The other, a landscape similar to that described by J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Mordor” from Lord of the Rings, inspired by Tolkein’s time in the First World War.
The former, beautiful landscape is the scene of a peaceful display of power and debate among the four giants that stand before us, hoping to win the chair’s seat and lead our party and state forward toward a better and purposeful future.
It is my hope that the ARP convention be a place of encouragement to all 40 districts across our vast territory. Alaskans will be traveling hundreds if not thousands of miles to join fellow delegates in Anchorage for a time of reflection and leadership as we pave the way for success in our party and servitude to all Alaskans.
The latter scene — Tolkien’s Mordor — is a product of choosing to be hostile toward fellow Republicans and Alaskans, purposefully not communicating with those that are equally ept and deserving of each other’s respect. This scene of demeaning and damning imagery is of itself a choice. A choice to be brash and inhospitable.
A choice to refuse the help of others, solely searching for personal gain, forgetting the basis of servitude to those that elected us to our seats? I pray and am of hope this does not become a reality. When egos strain and tensions roar, may we be the people (and body of elected persons) that are discerning enough, to say no to such things.
Fellow Alaskans, may we be the guiding light for our current generations and generations to come. May we rise to the occasion that brings forth fruit, making the active choice to unite together as a party that will be a force to be reckoned with and understanding we have many things that in fact unite us; putting aside the things that drive rifts between us Alaskans.
I am hopeful and optimistic to be writing to you all today, that we may prepare ourselves to elect a chairman or chairwoman of the ARP that embodies ALL of Alaska from Utqiagvik to Kodiak, from Metlakatla to Unalaska. By doing so we will elect the future.
Ryan Sheldon is District 30 chairman of the Alaska Republican Party. He was born and raised in Alaska and is proud to be a 4th generation Alaskan. He enjoys investing his time in the community and betterment of Alaska. Ryan lives in Talkeetna, loves Alaska, and believes the state can be a viable option for young Alaskans to thrive while carrying on his family’s legacy from the well-known Alaska town. You can typically find Ryan leading fellow Alaskans in song.
