Gross announces candidacy for Alaska US Senate seat

JUNEAU, Alaska – An Alaska doctor is the first to file to run for the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Dan Sullivan.

Al Gross filed his paperwork Tuesday with the Division of Elections. State elections director Gail Fenumiai (feh-NEW-me-eye) says Gross is registered as nonpartisan.

Gross’ campaign says the orthopedic surgeon left full-time practice to work on ways to change the health care system and address health care costs. Gross’ father is the late Avrum Gross, an attorney general under Gov. Jay Hammond.

A campaign video shows Gross on a boat, with the narrator saying Gross once “killed a grizzly bear in self-defence after it snuck up on him” and worked his way through college and medical school as a fisherman.

The election is next year. Sullivan is expected to seek re-election.