Diane with her son Latseen and Latseen's wife, Jessica in
the 4th of July Parade in Anchorage, 2006
Five years ago I never would have guessed that I would run for Congress. Sometimes in life there are moments that change you and cause you to stand up in ways that you may never have thought possible. My moment was when my son took flight down a mountainside at Snow Mass Colorado with a photo of his descent floating around cyber space. By itself, it wouldn’t seem so extraordinary, except that he was a double amputee still recovering from wounds he suffered five and half months before in Iraq.
No parent ever wants to receive the call. Your son has been injured. … He is VSI (Very Seriously Injured). We only send family to Germany if the soldier may not make it. …You need to go to Germany.
Attacking Iraq was not something I supported from the very beginning. I did support going after the true criminals of the 9-11 attack on New York and Washington D.C. However, my son was sent to Iraq to participate in a mission against Saddem Hussein rather than capturing Osama Bin Ladin. During my son’s four year commitment I grew more and more uneasy, and more vocal. At one point, I wore military socks and told of family sacrifices to dramatize the point that our country was not properly outfitting our troops. I stood before service and peace groups, hospital panels, and anyone who would listen advocating for PTSD treatment and education, and support for extended family members - like parents. My son was my only child and serving as Infantry in a war zone. If I kept talking maybe I could keep my head above water.
One day, I was feeding my sled dogs (I have nine of them), when I suddenly hyperventilated and fell to my knees. Another day I got stuck behind a funeral procession for a soldier killed in combat when I was trying to drive to town, and I fell apart. Like so many spouses and parents across the country I learned to dismiss these momentary lapses and suck it up and go on.
Then one night, while attending the opera I was gripped with fear. Hours later I was wakened with the call.
After Germany, I spent three and half months at Walter Reed Army Medical Center before finally having to get back to work and home. My son spent a total of ten months at Walter Reed, fortunately, with his wonderful wife by his side. The entire experience was beyond sobering for me. I felt a new strength in me, and a heightened compassion for others.
I asked Don Young to visit our wounded at WRAMC, and he said he would and that he would visit my son. He didn’t. I was appalled to discover how little he had done for Veterans in 33 years in Congress.
In April 2006 when the Internet was circulating the photo of my son soaring on a mono-ski, I was watching Don Young on television. His demeanor angered me. Why was he merely rubber-stamping the Bush agenda? Where was his backbone that he would not stand up for our troops? What cripples our politicians that they cannot speak up for justice, for truth, for people?
Was anyone going to run against this man or was he once again going to have a free pass to Congress at Alaska’s expense? Do I have to do it myself? I wondered out-loud. A few days later I filed to run.
In 2006, after winning the Democratic Primary, Diane went on to win over 41% of the vote, making history as one of only three opponents to ever come close to unseating Don Young. And her campaign spent only 15% as much as Young on the election.
Diane also caused a first in Alaska history when she forced the incumbent into a live prime-time televised debate. She was also the first to successfully challenge the Alaska Federation of Natives policy that prevented opponents of the Congressional incumbent to speak on the floor of the convention. Diane won the majority of votes in several non-Democratic areas, including the town of Ft. Yukon, Don Young’s claimed hometown.
After the 2006 election, I pondered whether or not to run for Congress again in 2008. I knew from the start that the incumbent’s poor showing in 2006 would attract more interest in the 2008 campaign. I expected at least one of a number of prominent Democratic politicians to file for the race.
Even before the 2006 election, with the searches of state legislators’ offices, and with the 2006 conviction of Young’s partner in the creation of the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas sweatshop empire, Jack Abramoff, I had a feeling the corruption in Alaska politics was deeper than most realized. Over the winter of 2006-2007, I decided that I must run and offer a clean break with this aspect of our state’s legislative past. I began a new campaign in earnest June 2007.
In 2007, federal agents arrested several Alaska legislators. Our senior U.S. Senator’s home was searched. Every week brought new revelations about how badly our public trust had been betrayed by these men, and by those who enabled them in the corruption of our political processes.
I was more determined than ever about my decision to not only unseat the incumbent, but to challenge my primary opponents on the many ignored issues facing Alaskans and our country. It is time for true change.