East Anchorage Book Club with Andrew Gray

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Nebraska State Senator John Fredrickson was first elected in 2022 by a margin of only 82 votes. He is the first openly gay man to be elected to the Nebraska state legislature. We discuss Nebraska's unicameral non-partisan legislature and its term limits. We also talk about John's youth, how he and his husband adopted their son, and his journey into politics. 

This conversation was recorded in Chicago at the Council of State Governments Convention in December 2025.

This is part of a series on the first gay men elected to state legislators around the country. To listen to the episode with Glen Maxey, the first elected to the Texas state legislature, click here. 

Upcoming episodes will include the first gay man elected to South Dakota's state legislature and to Iowa's state legislature.

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The Alaska State House Representative for Ketchikan is Jeremy Bynum. We discuss his childhood growing up in a devout Pentecostal household, his escape to the Air Force, and his struggles being accepted as a newcomer to Ketchikan. We also talk about the drama of the Juneau Capitol, specifically his fraught relationship with my chief of staff Kyle Johansen (a previous Representative of Ketchikan) and the heated rhetoric around recent attempts to draw from the legislative savings account. We address a podcast episode from last week with Rep. Zack Fields of downtown Anchorage where inappropriate language was used to describe the House Minority.

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Laura Booch and Dr. Ingrid Johnson both appeared at the Alaska State House Judiciary Committee's informational hearing on Civil Protective Orders that happened on Monday, March 9th. Civil protective orders are also called restraining orders and there are several types, but the most common type is the Domestic Violence Protective Order, and that's what today's episode is about. Right now a long term domestic violence protective order is good for one year, and then the petitioner needs to file for an extension. At each extension, the respondent can appear in court and make the case for why the protective order should not continue. For someone leaving an abusive relationship, this revisiting of that relationship every year can be traumatizing. 

Laura Booch is a brave survivor of Domestic Violence who is sharing her story today. Dr. Ingrid Johnson is a criminal justice professor at The University of Alaska Fairbanks who specializes in gender-based violence.  She will discuss the alarming statistic that 70% of adult women in Alaska report having experienced domestic violence at some point in their life. 

To apply for a civil protective order, click here. 

If you need help with an abusive relationship, call Alaska's 24 hour crisis & support line at 907-272-0100, someone is waiting for your call. 

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Representative Zack Fields of downtown Anchorage explains the Alaska State House's failed vote to draw from our legislative savings account yesterday. In order to receive a 9 to 1 match from the federal government for our state transportation projects -- a potential investment of almost $700 million -- we needed to fully fund the match yesterday. The Alaska State Senate had earlier this week voted unanimously to draw from our savings account and receive that match, but yesterday the House failed; we needed a 3/4 vote (30/40) and we came up very short (22/40). 

This podcast also addresses Rep. Fields behavior during a speech by Congressman Nick Begich earlier this week. 

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Edgar Ruiz is the Director of the Council of State Governments West. The Council of State Governments (CSG), is a nonpartisan national organization that connects and informs all three branches of state government to help bring forth best practices. CSG is divided into four regions, and Alaska is part of the Western region. Edgar Ruiz has been the director of CSG west since 2011. He grew up in southern California on the border with Mexico and began with CSG in 2002 managing American-Mexican programs. CSG West runs a training program for new legislators called the Western Leadership Academy (WLA). This interview took place in Juneau while Edgar was visiting the state capitol as part of his duties as Director of CSG West.

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Eric Croft is the Chair of the Alaska Democratic Party. Erik was born to Chancey and Toni Croft in Anchorage, but he grew up with his two siblings traveling back and forth to Juneau where their father started in the House and later served in the Senate eventually serving as president. Chancey Croft was the Democratic candidate for governor in 1978. Eric would serve in the Alaska House representing west Anchorage from 1997 to 2006, at which point he too ran for governor, losing the Democratic nomination to former governor Tony Knowles. Eric served as Anchorage School Board President from 2013 to 2016 and served on the Anchorage Assembly from 2016 to 2019. He unsuccessfully ran for mayor of Anchorage in 2009 and 2021. 

While Eric was in the Alaska House, his minority leader was Ethan Berkowitz. Ethan Berkowitz would go on to be Anchorage mayor while Eric was on the Assembly -- that's the "Ethan" that you hear referenced several times in this episode. 

During our conversation we discuss the US military and President Trump's quelling of criticism of military operations. This interview was recorded before the United States invaded Iran.     

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To learn more about becoming a foster parent, click here.

Landen Ryan is a senior at Service High School in Anchorage. Madison Brewer is a sophomore at the University of Alaska Anchorage. Both Landen and Madison have had extensive experience in Alaska's foster system. This interview happened while they were in Juneau with the non-profit organization Facing Foster Care in Alaska (FFCA). Madison reference my House Bill 157 which would allow siblings to remain legal siblings even after adoption into different households.

Warning: this podcast episode contains references to violence and trauma.

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2024 Alaska Teacher of the Year Catherine Walker teaches high school engineering and marine biology at Dimond High School. 2018 Alaska Teacher of the Year Ben Walker teaches 7th grade science at Romig Middle School. Both are in their 20th years teaching with the Anchorage School District, but this year will be their last. Due to the perpetual budget cuts in ASD, Ben, Cat, & their two high school-aged children are permanently relocating to Washington state.

Last week Ben published an op-ed in the Anchorage Daily News entitled, "We were honored as Alaska Teachers of the Year. Now we can no longer stay."

Listen to Ben Walker's previous appearance on the podcast here.

 Listen to the recent podcast episode with Anchorage School Board president Carl Jacobs, ASD superintendent Jharrett Bryantt, & Bettye Davis East High School Teacher Janice Strickland here.

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The Executive Director of the Alaska Pharmacy Association is Dr. Brandy Seignemartin. After a somewhat circuitous route, Brandy found herself in Doctor of Pharmacy program at Washington State University in her early thirties. Upon completion of that degree she did an executive fellowship in administration and in 2022 came to Alaska to take on the ED role at the Alaska Pharmacy Association and to become an assistant clinical professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage/Idaho State University Doctor of Pharmacy program. We discuss Alaska State House Bill 195, sponsored by Rep. Genevieve Mina, which would grant limited prescriptive authority to pharmacists. 

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Clara Baldwin is the assistant special education director for the Anchorage School District and she oversees the Alaska State School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. She was born in northern California and moved to Anchorage 14 years ago. She has been a lifelong advocate for the rights of the deaf and hard of hearing community and has found her place leading that struggle here in Alaska. Clara is the 2026 Fur Rendezvous Queen -- the first deaf Fur Rondy Queen in state history.

Leah McElwee is the Executive Interpreter for the Idaho Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ICDHH) and is the American Sign Language interpreter for Andrew during this interview. Brenna Kelly is the President of the Alaska Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf and the American Sign Language interpreter for Clara Baldwin during this interview. It is Brenna's voice that you hear in the recording.