Daughter of deceased Alaska state senator applies for seat

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The daughter of a recently-deceased Alaska state senator applied to fill his vacant seat, a report said.

Tali Birch Kindred, 37, announced her decision last week following the Aug. 7 death of her father, 68-year-old Chris Birch, Alaska Public Media reported Friday.

Birch died from a torn or ruptured aorta after taking Birch Kindred and her family to the Anchorage airport for a vacation flight, she said.

Benefits consultant Albert Fogle also filed a financial disclosure Friday, a prerequisite for applying. Fogle ran unsuccessfully in the 2018 GOP primary for a state House seat.

GOP leaders in Birch’s district collected applications to replace Birch in accordance with state law and Republican Party rules. Applications were scheduled to close Sunday.

The rules call for Republicans to select finalists to recommend to GOP Gov. Mike Dunleavy, who will choose a replacement. The candidate must be confirmed by a majority of Senate Republicans and then serve until a special election in 2020.

Birch Kindred is an attorney for the Oil Search company. Her father was elected to the Legislature in 2016.

“My brother doesn’t live in the district; my mom would rather stab her eyes out with a pencil,” Birch Kindred said. “I can’t fill his shoes, necessarily, but I think I could do a good job filling the seat.”

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Information from: KSKA-FM, http://www.kska.org

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