Metcalfe Suspends Campaign

(Anchorage)  – Today, Alaska Congressional Candidate Jake Metcalfe released the following statement:

Good afternoon.

Many questions have arisen in the last two weeks about the role my former campaign consultant may have played in engineering the redirection of Ethan Berkowitz domain names to websites intended to harm his candidacy. 

I want to clarify, once and for all: I did not order or ask anyone to buy the sites.  I did not ask anyone to redirect the sites.  And I did not know until recently that anyone associated with my campaign had done so.  It appears that a former campaign worker was involved in these acts, and I condemn them.  The buck stops here.  I take responsibility for these acts.  I made a mistake by not taking these allegations more seriously from the beginning, and I called Ethan Berkowitz today to apologize to him for any harm this may have caused.  I regret that Alaskans have been distracted from the real task at hand – replacing Don Young.

I’ve always been proud to be a Democrat.  I share the values of pioneer statesmen like Bill Egan, Ernest Gruening, and Bob Bartlett: I am a moderate, pro-development, union Democrat. 

But this race has never been about me. It’s always been about good jobs, health care for all and taking care of those who have served our country—our veterans. It’s been about setting a higher standard for the way we do politics in this state—and about who represents us in D.C. 

It’s always been about what’s good for Alaska. That’s what this campaign has tried to focus on—that’s what we all need to focus on if we’re going to win in November and that’s why I’m withdrawing my bid for U.S. Congress today.  This is one of the hardest decisions I’ve made, and I do not take it lightly. 

I have been honored to have the support of many Alaskans in my bid for Congress.  Hundreds of individual donors, volunteers, and advisors have pledged their resources to my campaign. I have enjoyed traveling the state, meeting Alaskans, and hearing their honest suggestions for how we can make this nation a better place. 

It’s because we need to keep our eyes on the prize and it is because I care so deeply about the future of our state; that I have decided to step aside.  In a few months, my wife Moira and I will welcome a new baby into our family.  It will be wonderful to spend more time with my boys and the precious little girl whose about to join the large Metcalfe clan.

It is now time for me, for all of us, to look forward again and to rally around a Democrat who can defeat Don Young in November.

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Last week, Alaskans spoke in a statewide poll. It proves that I am beating Don Young in the race for U.S. Congress. Alaskans are ready for a new generation of leadership.

This year, Veterans Day has special meaning to my family. Three weeks ago, my oldest brother Mac, returned home after serving a 15 month deployment with the Alaska National Guard, 12 of those months in Kuwait, with missions to Iraq. Mac is 59 years old and the third generation of my family to serve in the Alaska National Guard. He joins our father and grandfather, who served in Alaska’s Territorial Guard.
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This week, Alaska lost Thelma Buchholdt, a civil rights pioneer, community, state, and national leader, and former state legislator. Thelma was my idol, my friend, and my neighbor. My boys, Bienvenido and Peter, loved her as a “nana”, adored her cooking, and looked up to her as a leader in the Filipino community. I know we will all miss her greatly. Moira, Bien, Peter and I offer our sympathies to Jon and the rest of Thelma’s remarkable family.

I visited Sitka yesterday and today in celebration of Alaska Day, where I received a warm welcome.

Yesterday, I spoke with the Chamber of Commerce about Southeast Alaskan and Sitkan economic development issues. I was on Problem Corner and attended the Alaska Day Ball.

Today, I spent time with residents of the Pioneer Home, spoke with members of the fishing community, and marched in the Alaska Day Parade. I head to Juneau tonight, but look forward to visiting Sitka often!