Samuels and Walker call Parnell a debate dodger

There are three Republicans running for governor of Alaska. On Tuesday afternoon two of them slammed the third for ducking a Fairbanks debate.

At a Fairbanks campaign event on Sunday, candidates Bill Walker and Ralph Samuels showed their faces and answered a few questions. Gov. Sean Parnell showed up via prerecorded answers on video, which didn't impress Samuels and Walker. On Tuesday the two sent out a joint press release to announce their annoyance.

"I think if there's a debate you ought to show up," Walker said, speaking from Fairbanks. "And if you don't, you shouldn't be sending somebody else to speak on your behalf."

Walker said he doesn't think video is a proper way to address the public. The governor was represented at the event by an energy adviser, Gene Therriault, which Walker and Samuels said they view as an irresponsible misuse of official staff for campaign purposes

When he heard Therriault answering questions, Walker said, he thought, "Wait a minute, I'm not running against this guy. I'm running against Sean Parnell."

The event was held at Pike's Waterfront Lodge, which is owned by Jay Ramras, a Republican running for lieutenant governor.

Samuels and Walker drew attention to the governor's absence several times during the event, according to a story in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, which also reported that Parnell had another commitment Sunday.

In a press release late Tuesday afternoon, Parnell's campaign manager, Michelle Toohey, defended the governor's absence.

"This is just a silly attempt by Ralph and Bill to try to get some publicity. They both know the truth is that Gov. Parnell has already appeared with his opponents in numerous debates and forums, and is scheduled to appear in several more," she said in the release.

She also said Therriault was there on his own and was not being paid by the state on a Sunday.

Contact Joshua Saul at jsaul(at)alaskadispatch.com.