Fairbanks residents hosted a town hall for Alaska’s Sen. Dan Sullivan Monday night. Sullivan’s seat was empty.
The Concerned Citizens of Interior Alaska, an informal group of Interior residents, started calling Sullivan’s offices earlier this month, asking him to host a town hall in Fairbanks while the Senate had a recess. Shortly afterward, the group reserved the auditorium at Noel Wien Public Library in case Sullivan was available. Sullivan’s staff declined the invitation during a phone call on March 11.
According to the Alaska Delegation Watch, Sullivan hasn’t held a town hall in four years. Sen. Lisa Murkowski hosted a virtual town hall on Feb. 19 while Rep. Nick Begich III hosted a virtual town hall on Feb. 17.
In early March, Rep. Richard Hudson, (R-N.C.), chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, told House Republicans to stop holding in-person town hall events as town halls turned contentious over federal cuts. Speaker Mike Johnson, during a news conference, called attendees at town halls “professional protestors.”
At the Noel Wien event, organizers set up a table with an empty chair, a photo of Sullivan and a water bottle, to which attendees directed their comments and questions.
A spokesperson for Sullivan said that senator’s office received the invitation one week before the event and that the senator was not scheduled to be in Fairbanks on Monday.
Sullivan is expected to give his annual address to the Alaska Legislature at 11 a.m. Thursday. He’s also slated to speak at the Republican Women of Fairbanks’ Lincoln Day Dinner on Friday at Pike’s Waterfront Lodge. Tickets to the dinner cost $100 per person.
“Both in Washington, D.C. and at home throughout Alaska, he (Sullivan) regularly engages in all kinds of engagements with his constituents, including large and small meetings on specific issues, tours of key Alaska facilities and communities, and, when appropriate, general gatherings of the public with small and large audiences,” the spokesperson stated. “His office has recently received thousands of public opinion messages from Alaskans, and the Senator is taking those opinions seriously and works hard on responding to Alaskans who reach out to him. Throughout his time in the Senate, Senator Sullivan has been committed to listening to Alaskans and weighs in forcefully with federal agencies on behalf of Alaskans.”
More than 160 people packed the auditorium at Noel Wien Library Monday night to express concerns about President Donald Trump’s administration and federal cuts imposed by Elon Musk.
Kelly Barker told the News-Miner that concerned residents in the Fairbanks area want to hear from and speak with their senator.
“Right now, this is just Fairbanks people saying, you know, enough is enough and we’re going to gather and we’re going to talk and we’re going to create energy and movement together,” Barker said. “Right now people are really angry, sad, uncertain, all those big feelings. And for that reason alone, I think it’s more important now than ever to show your constituents that you’re listening, that you care, that you’re willing to show up for them because that’s what you said you would do.”
Residents expressed concerns about federal cuts and layoffs to education, the United States Postal sService, scientific research, the Social Security Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Internal Revenue Service.
Sue Keller asked Sullivan to disapprove of Trump’s actions and confront Trump. “Why haven’t you spoken up?” she said.
“Hello Dan. Are you there? It’s me your constituent,” one woman said, recalling the voicemails she has left for Sullivan’s office. “Are you hiding from us? Are you hiding from the people who want to hold you accountable? The people you are responsible to, because we are tired of it.”
Brian Quakenbush said he feels “a bit disgusted” regarding tariffs on imports with Canada and Mexico, and urged Sullivan to disapprove of the tariffs.
Sarah Garland brought up the Trump administration’s decision to ignore a Washington, D.C., District Court judge’s ruling to turn around two flights of alleged Venezuelan gang members on Saturday.
“What are you going to do to try to preserve the foundation of our government?” she asked Sullivan.
Ariane Glover said that she was concerned with national security and the war in Ukraine.
Trump, who wants access to Ukraine’s critical mineral wealth, has been negotiating a ceasefire on energy and infrastructure in Ukraine with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“The posturing of the current U.S. administration to obtain these resources from a foreign adversary bypassing Alaska and going against everything that has been previously said about supporting U.S. manufacturing is completely at odds with the message President Trump campaigned on,” Glover said. “I am deeply concerned about what’s happening with the U.S., Russian, Ukraine and European allies. The United States must stand with those that oppose Russia and speak out against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.”
Art Gelvin said that he has been submitting five bullet points on his accomplishments each week, and he wants to know what Sullivan’s five bullet points are on what he’s been doing for Alaskans. Five bullet points stems from an Elon Musk mandate telling federal workers to email a list of five things they’ve accomplished each week.
Diann Darnall asked, “What are you doing to support Alaska?” and followed that up by asking Sullivan to protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Lou Brown said that she looks forward to working on the campaign to replace Sullivan in 2026.
Several residents compared billionaire Musk, who leads the Department of Government Efficiency, to Nazis and fascists.
One man said that his grandfather ran from the Nazis, and his parents were born under Nazi oppression. “So I know when I see a fascist,” he said. “When are you going to tell the fascists in the White House that they are done?”
One person who identified as an Ester resident, whose father fought in World War II, said, “I was raised to learn that hating Nazis is just about as American as hot dogs, apple pie and baseball.”
