Les Gara
Les Gara | |
|---|---|
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| Member of the Alaska House of Representatives from the 23rd district | |
| In office January 20, 2003 – January 15, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Eldon Mulder |
| Succeeded by | Zack Fields |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 6, 1963 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Kelly Gara |
| Education | Boston University (BA) Harvard University (JD) |
Leslie S. Gara (born February 6, 1963) is a Democratic former member of the Alaska House of Representatives, having represented the 23rd District from 2003 to 2019. Gara is also a former assistant attorney general and part owner of a local restaurant in Anchorage, Snow City Cafe.[1]
Early life
[edit]Gara was born on February 6, 1963, in New York City.[2] He is of Iraqi-Jewish descent.[3] He first started attending Freeport High School in 1977, graduating in 1981.[2] Gara graduated from Boston University in 1985 with a Bachelor of Arts in history.[2] He then earned his Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School in 1988.[4] He served as a law clerk for Justice Jay Rabinowitz of the Alaska Supreme Court and was also an assistant attorney general.[2] During his time as assistant attorney general he worked on the prosecution of the Exxon Valdez oil spill civil case.[5]
Political career
[edit]He was a former member of the Alaska House of Representatives, having represented the 23rd District from 2003 to 2019.[6][7] In June 2018, Gara announced he would not be running for re-election.[8]
2022 election
[edit]On August 20, 2021, Gara announced that he would run for governor in 2022.[1] He has criticized incumbent governor Mike Dunleavy for cutting funding for public education at the University of Alaska system.[1] He supports "responsible development" of oil and has vowed to improve energy efficiency standards and address climate change,[1] while opposing construction of Pebble Mine to protect fisheries.[9] He also has pledged to protect access to Abortion in Alaska.[9] He supported ranking former governor Bill Walker second in the governor's election under Ranked-choice voting.[9] In the election, he received 24.21% of the vote, and was defeated by incumbent governor Mike Dunleavy.[10]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Kitchenman, Andrew (August 20, 2021). "Former state Rep. Les Gara becomes fourth candidate for Alaska's governor". Alaska Public Media. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
- ^ a b c d "100 Years of Alaska's Legislature". akleg.gov. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
- ^ "Alaska's Jewish community predates US settlement". Anchorage Daily News. February 12, 2012.
- ^ "Les Gara's Biography". Vote Smart. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
- ^ "CANDIDATE Q&A: Governor — Les Gara". Alaska Public Media. August 11, 2022. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
- ^ "Les Gara". Anchorage Daily News. January 13, 2009. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
- ^ "Gara, former Alaska lawmaker, says he will run for governor". AP News. August 20, 2021. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
- ^ Mauer, Richard (June 5, 2018). "Les Gara says he's quitting the Alaska Legislature". KTUU. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
- ^ a b c "Issues". Les Gara. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
- ^ "State of Alaska 2022 GENERAL ELECTION Election Summary Report November 8, 2022 OFFICIAL RESULTS" (PDF). www.elections.alaska.gov. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
External links
[edit]
Media related to Les Gara at Wikimedia Commons
- Les Gara for Governor campaign website
- Profile at the Alaska Legislature (archived)
- Les Gara at 100 Years of Alaska's Legislature
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- 1963 births
- Alaska lawyers
- American people of Iraqi-Jewish descent
- Boston University College of Arts and Sciences alumni
- Harvard Law School alumni
- Jewish state legislators in Alaska
- Living people
- Democratic Party members of the Alaska House of Representatives
- 21st-century members of the Alaska Legislature
- Candidates in the 2022 United States elections
- Politicians from Anchorage, Alaska
- Politicians from New York City
- 21st-century American Jews