All Politics IS Local: Daniel George is the Wrong Choice for Anchorage

Daniel George wants a seat on the Anchorage Assembly, but before you leap to hand him a microphone and a taxpayer-funded office, let’s take a hard look at what he’s bringing to the table. Some people say he’s a nice guy. That’s adorable. But "nice" doesn’t keep the roads plowed, fund schools, or stop politicians from running Anchorage into the ground. "Nice" doesn’t stop your property taxes from going up while the state slashes funding. "Nice" doesn’t make a damn bit of difference when the guy in question has spent his entire career backing the worst politicians in Alaska.

Daniel George has been in the trenches of Alaska politics for years—not fighting for working families, not pushing for better schools or safer streets, but working for and financially backing people who have made life harder for all of us. He built his career under "MAGA" Mike Dunleavy, a governor who has made gutting public education his personal mission. He personally donated to Dave Bronson’s re-election campaign in 2024 when Anchorage already had three years of proof that Bronson was an incompetent disaster.

For those wondering—no, this isn’t a smear job. This is quite literally his record and, arguably, an important one to note since nobody else has.

And it's a record that makes one thing clear: Daniel George is not running merely to represent North Anchorage. He’s here to promote the same regressive policies that have left the city in a financial mess. Let's dive in.

Some might try to brush off George’s ties to national MAGA politics as irrelevant to a local race. That would be a mistake. He’s been photographed rubbing elbows with Kevin McCarthy, Dan Crenshaw, Bill Barr, and Nick Begich—guys who spent the Trump years advocating for or directly gutting protections for workers, cutting public funding, and ensuring that billionaires kept getting richer while working families struggled. And when it came time to answer who he was backing for president in 2024, George suddenly forgot how to speak in full sentences. Funny how that works.

In Alaska, Trump-era policies have had real consequences. Federal job cuts put 1,400 positions in Alaska at risk, stripping millions from our local economy. Medicaid rollbacks put thousands of Alaskans at risk of losing coverage, blowing a billion-dollar hole in the state’s healthcare system. Federal budget cuts hurt Anchorage’s social services, including SNAP and Head Start, making it harder for struggling families to make ends meet. Infrastructure investments stalled. Orange Furby's DEI executive orders allowed the University of Alaska to erase Alaska Native people from the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program (ANSEP), undermining opportunities for Indigenous students to pursue careers in STEM and weakening a nationally recognized program that has helped countless young Alaskans succeed.

So yeah, Daniel George's national connections matter. And if you're reading this and still wondering why he won’t say who he backed for president, it's because the answer likely isn't one he's proud to say out loud. 🍊

Unlike his mealy-mouthed stance on Trump, Daniel George’s relationship with Mike Dunleavy is rock solid. He worked for him in the legislature, helped fundraise for his first gubernatorial campaign, and played a contributing role in bringing us the worst governor in Alaska’s history. What did Dunleavy do with his time in office?

I'm glad you asked.

He slashed the University of Alaska budget to the bone, forcing layoffs and program closures. Rolled back Medicaid funding, making healthcare more expensive for everyone. Cut state revenue sharing, forcing Anchorage to pick up the slack with higher property taxes. Did absolutely nothing about the city’s housing crisis, making everything from renting an apartment to buying a home more expensive. But the real crown jewel of his administration? Gutting public education funding while trying to funnel taxpayer dollars into private and religious schools. If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times—nothing says “small government” like forcing public schools to fight over scraps while trying to illegally subsidize elite private institutions.

Daniel George wasn’t just along for the ride—he was part of the engine getting Dunleavy elected. If you think George will fight for North Anchorage’s public schools, affordable housing, or city services—I'm sorry to say that you're wrong.

It’s probably worth noting that as of this writing, Daniel George has offered two endorsements on his campaign Facebook page.  One from Stephanie Taylor, a far-right failed Assembly and School Board candidate, who strongly aligns with Dave Bronson on “School Choice." The second was from Michelle Hodel, Dave Bronson’s former Constituent Relations Director—even more evidence that Team Bronson is backing Daniel George.

There is also a donation from Kevin Fimon, current Treasurer of the Alaska Republican Party, who once served as Treasurer for Dunleavy’s election campaign.

And if, after all of this, you still think Daniel George might have an independent streak, let’s talk about his love affair with Dave Bronson because clearly, I want to keep writing about THAT guy.

By the time the 2024 runoff election rolled around, nobody was confused about who Dave Bronson was. (You're welcome). The guy had botched snow removal three years in a row, let the homelessness crisis spiral out of control, and burned through department heads faster than an extremist could turn off the city's fluoridation system. The Bronson administration mismanaged city finances so badly that Anchorage was paying millions in legal settlements for his screw-ups while roads, public transit, and community safety eroded under his watch.

So when Anchorage voters had the choice between another term of Bronson’s incompetence or the adult-in-the-room leadership of Suzanne LaFrance, Daniel George pulled out his wallet and gave Bronson money.

Not in 2021, mind you, when some people could at least claim they didn’t know what a disaster he’d be. In 2024. When given the choice between competent leadership and another four years of chaos, George chose chaos.

Some people say Daniel George is a nice guy. Great. Let him be nice at community council meetings. Let him be nice at holiday parties. Let him be nice at literally any job that doesn’t involve making decisions about Anchorage's future. Why? Because his record is clear.

Daniel George aligned himself with MAGA Republicans who pushed policies that hurt Anchorage. He worked to elect Mike Dunleavy, whose education and healthcare cuts have made life harder for working families. And he personally funded Dave Bronson, even after watching him wreck the city.

The question is whether Daniel George should be anywhere near the Assembly chambers making critical decisions about how to move Anchorage forward. And if you care about public schools, affordable housing, and a functioning local government, the answer to that question should be a resounding hell no.

His record speaks for itself.