Alaska Lt. Governor Candidate Says State Should 'Invade' Arctic Refuge

Lt. Governor Candidate Says State Should 'Invade' Arctic Refuge
Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan talks about the city forming an exploratory bid to possibly bid on hosting the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anchorage, Alaska, Tuesday, June 25, 2013. The city of Anchorage has formed an exploratory committee to help determine whether it should bid for the 2026 Winter Olympics. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)
Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan talks about the city forming an exploratory bid to possibly bid on hosting the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anchorage, Alaska, Tuesday, June 25, 2013. The city of Anchorage has formed an exploratory committee to help determine whether it should bid for the 2026 Winter Olympics. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)

Dan Sullivan, the mayor of Anchorage and a Republican primary candidate in the Alaska lieutenant governor's race, has a plan for the much-contested Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: hostile takeover.

Sullivan told a local Chamber of Commerce last week that the state should have control of the oil and gas contained in the 19 million-acre federal wildlife refuge, which has been a subject of contention between environmentalists and advocates of expanded oil and gas drilling for more than 50 years.

"One of the things I’ve suggested, too, is that if I was governor today, I’d probably invade ANWR," Sullivan told the group, according to local radio station KRBD. "What are they going to do, shoot you? Well, they might. But martyrdom goes a long way sometimes."

The "Vision" portion of Sullivan's campaign website also states that he will "[a]ggressively pursue all options for increasing throughput in the Trans Alaska Pipeline" and "[i]ncrease energy opportunities throughout Alaska with hydro, natural gas, coal, wind, tidal, coal gasification and geothermal projects."

This Dan Sullivan is not to be confused with another Dan Sullivan who is running in the Republican primary for the Senate. Yes, there are two Dan Sullivans running for statewide office in Alaska this year. The other Dan Sullivan also thinks ANWR should be opened for drilling.

Alaska's primary will be held Aug. 19.

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