Y grad to challenge Alaska's incumbent congressman

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Former telecommunications executive Sheldon Fisher announced Thursday that he will challenge Rep. Don Young — Alaska's sole representative in the U.S. House — in the 2010 primary election.Fisher described himself as a fiscal conservative who, if elected, would try to cut government spending to control the national deficit, create jobs and strengthen support for families and children.The current situation both in Washington and in Alaska presents some unique challenges, Fisher said, but his business background shows that he is capable of defeating Young and is up to the job."I am confident I can win," said Fisher, a political newcomer. "There is nobody who is going to work harder."Young, 76, who announced last year he is running for re-election, is seeking his 20th term in office despite being investigated for his ties to businessman Bill Allen, who was convicted of bribing state lawmakers. Young also was investigated for an earmark in a spending bill that benefited a Florida supporter.In 2008, Young defeated then-Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell by 304 votes in the Republican primary. He defeated Democrat Ethan Berkowitz in the general election by more than 16,000 votes.Alaska has more potential than any other state but is mired in gridlock as rival stakeholders compete to develop the state's resources, Fisher said."I have always been successful finding the common ground," he said.Pamela Day, Young's chief of staff, said the congressman filed for re-election last year to show he is serious about running."He has always welcomed anyone into the process who is interested in running for office and, as always, he will look forward to the coming months and the dialogue and issues that are bound to come up," Day said.Fisher, 47, recently resigned from Alaska Communications Systems, where he worked as a senior vice president in sales and service. Before that, Fisher worked for Sprint's wireless broadband business, where he said he took a failed $2 billion venture and made it a success.He learned about fiscal responsibility from watching his mother and father stretch a dollar after experiencing the Great Depression, he said."Nothing went to waste," Fisher said.Fisher graduated with a law degree from Yale Law School and holds an economics degree from Brigham Young University. He is a Mormon who said he respects the separation of church and state and would not let his religious values dictate his political decisions.Fisher was accompanied Thursday by his wife, Christine, and six of his seven children. His oldest daughter is in college in the Lower 48.Rep. Harry Crawford, D-Anchorage, also has announced he will run for the House.