Speaker of the House Mike Chenault (R-Nikiski) spoke with KDLG News Tuesday after Gov. Walker's Fish, Game board nominees were announced.
KDLG audio transcript: Speaker of the House Republican Mike Chenault hails from Nikiski on the Kenai Peninsula. Robert Ruffner, one of Governor Walker’s nominees for the state board of fisheries, is from nearby Soldotna. Walker appears to be replacing Dillingham’s Fritz Johnson with Ruffner, changing a long precedent of having a member from Bristol Bay on the board. Chenault spoke with KDLG Tuesday after the Governor’s announcement.
"I understand the concern that Bristol Bay may have over not having a member on that board," he said. "You know, the Kenai’s probably been in the same position for, I don’t know it’s probably been twenty years since the Kenai Peninsula had a member on that board, so it’s been a while."
Political pressure during the confirmation process is often loudest from Kenai interest groups, like the deep-pocketed Kenai River Sportfishing Association. Speaking Tuesday, Chenault said he hadn’t heard from anybody yet about the three nominees, including Ruffner, but figured he would soon.
"Those conversations will happen sometime in the near future as we get closer to a confirmation," Chenault said with a chuckle. "Each group will come down and plead their case not only with myself, but with other members of the Legislature and the Governor I’m sure."
Last session, Ruffner’s nomination failed by a vote of 29-30 in the House. Governor Walker says he’s confident it’ll go better this time. The other two nominees, Alan Cain and Israel Payton, are less controversial. Cain is a veteran wildlife enforcement trooper, and Payton spent 20 years as a fishing and hunting guide. Still, Chenault says no matter who the nominee is, the confirmation process always ends up contentious.
“I have never seen a board member just kind of sail through unscathed without somebody taking potshots at ‘em. Why some of these guys would even want to be on this board, I have no idea, after watching the process that we go through.”
That process usually happens late in the regular session. If Walker gets his nominees confirmed, they will replace Bob Mumford, Tom Kluberton, and Fritz Johnson. Walker also tapped Guy Trimmingham from Hope and Nathan Turner of Nenana for seats on the Board of Game.