Ed Schoenfeld, CoastAlaska – Juneau
One of the most powerful members of Alaska’s House of Representatives has left the Republican-led majority caucus.
Ketchikan’s Kyle Johansen walked out of an organizational meeting last weekend that kept Kenai’s Mike Chenault as speaker of the House.
Johansen left after another GOP representative, Anchorage’s Charisse Millett, was denied a committee assignment she had sought. The two lawmakers have been described as having a “close personal relationship.”
While Johansen lost a significant post, two other Southeast lawmakers – Bill Thomas and Peggy Wilson – moved into new leadership roles.
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