By SUZANNE DOWNING
March 16, 2026 – An Anchorage printing company employee took to social media last week to criticize a local political candidate for using an online printing service for campaign materials rather than a local shop, raising concerns about professionalism and business ethics within the city’s small business community.
Patrick Foster, of AT Publishing in Anchorage, posted a message on Facebook criticizing Anchorage Assembly candidate Donald Handeland, who is running for the Eagle River seat on the Anchorage Assembly. The post accused Handeland of choosing an out-of-state printer instead of local businesses. Handeland has used local businesses, but also out-of-state businesses to keep costs under control.
The Foster message read in part:
“Donald prefers to use Lower 48 print shops (like VistaPrint) for his campaign when there are plenty of fully qualified local shops. He might be a great Assembly member if elected, but take that as an indicator that he will easily avoid local businesses if elected. It hurts.”
The post was later removed after another client reportedly confronted Foster about publicly attacking a political candidate who had previously done business with his company.
According to people familiar with the situation, Handeland had used AT Publishing for some past printing work but chose an online printer for a recent campaign mailer because the company offered a steep discount and he had accumulated credits with the service.
Campaign vendors and consultants note that it is common practice for political campaigns to shop around for the best prices on mailers, signs, and printed materials. Campaign budgets are typically tight, and candidates frequently use a mix of local and national vendors depending on price, turnaround time, and available discounts.
What raises eyebrows in this case was the decision by a local vendor to publicly attack a current or former client who is in a political race.
Businesses typically avoid publicly disparaging customers, particularly in politically sensitive situations, because it can create reputational risks and concerns among other clients about confidentiality and professionalism.
Ballots go out in the mail by Tuesday for the Anchorage Municipal Election for Anchorage’s mail-in election. Those ballots are also printed by companies not within the city-borough limits.
10 thoughts on “Anchorage printer publicly criticizes Assembly candidate over out-of-state campaign printing”
First, would have been appropriate for you to reach out to me for comment since you’re mentioning me in your story. Clearly, this is a bit of a hit piece. I do not own A.T. Publishing. Just an employee. If you had called me you would have learned that. Second, I pulled the post because I knew I was wrong. No one confronted me. Third, I could explain the circumstances that led me to make such an irrational post, and there are circumstances, but explaining them will just make things bad for other folks. I sent a personal apology to Mr. Handeland and hope he accepts it or even reaches out.
I do not really care why people shop outside, and I work hard to communicate with folks that printing locally helps keep the money here circulating. But me publicly blowing that up on Mr. Handeland was uncalled for and I own my mistakes.
I am more than happy to talk this over with anyone.
Pat, thanks for the clear explanation. You sound like a principled person who owns up to some possible “errors” in judgment. From my perspective, you are a “winner”. Not many others would have “owned” up.
Agreed, Mr. Boyle.
Wow Mr. Foster, in the best sense of the word. I appreciate you shared enough that anyone sincerely wishing to understand the full story is clearly able to. There was additional information you could have shared but wisely choose not to in the best interest of everyone. As a life-long Alaskan, a woman now 66 years of age, and someone who feels strongly and passionately about many things including my community, my state, and my country, I myself have started out conversations with, “I apologize.” And like you, I sincerely meant it. So I could relate to your story. Thank you for sharing and clarifying. Wishing both you and Mr. Handeland the very best as fellow community members.
Mister Foster learned his lesson about how easy it is for one to blow steam off on a public forum as a social media platform to regret it later.
Don’t worry Mister Foster by time Anchorage Municipality’s forty percent voters get to summer they will forget. For your peace of mind 60% of Anchorage dont even know that you lost your temper because 60% of Anchorage residents dont even vote nor follow political gossip whether its true or false.
I give you and all business owners a little wisdom, do not keep a personal social media account only have a social media account where it’s used for advertising your business and business to customer communication. Then you and other business owners dont get into trouble posting personal business that is open to public debate, disagreements, judgements/comdemnations, and differences of opinions from readers and passer-bys which decreases business.
My personal experience is when I see a business posting displaying hanging speaking about a personal opinion or ideology of something that I get uncomfortable by, I will not want to shop there. Like for example there are Two local Starbucks that hang the PRIDE flag in a stores and when I see it I will not go into any store displaying that flag. For some reason I okay with PRIDE merchandise. But that flag I think it goes back to 2001 i was invited to cat sit for some woman and when i came into apartment I saw the old PRIDE hanging over her bed and there was *something else a darkness in their room and traumatized me. So now every business that displays PRIDE do not get my money. Business owners would be smarter to not make public personal opinions, rebukes, criticism, faiths, even ideologies but to remain neutral that customers don’t know what a business owner and employees support or how they live.
Mr. Foster, what an interesting comment.
In this country everyone is entitled to their own opinion. You chose to besmirch a candidate for local office with data you gleaned from your employment. Thought and deliberation went into that, making aspersions of past motivations (i.e. “he prefers”) and future conduct( i.e.”will easily avoid”) of this candidate, for which you have no proof. It makes one wonder about your motives. Nothing happens in a vacuum. It further appears from your own post that other individuals where involved in your hit piece.
Sadly you really have no standing to complain about the scrutiny regarding your actions in this article.
Sending a personal apology is nice and honorable and I accept that your mea culpa is sincere, however the damage as they say is already done and no amount of apologies is going to change that.
Son, you get past thinking people should take you as seriously as you take yourself, you might be somebody.
.
Best be thankful you weren’t working for us when you pulled that stunt …your pompous ass woulda been fired right out the door.
Official Statement from AT Publishing
We would like to publicly address a recent social media post made by one of our employees regarding Anchorage Assembly candidate Donald Handeland.
First and foremost, we want to clarify that the post was made on a personal account without the company’s knowledge or authorization. The views expressed do not reflect the values or professional standards of AT Publishing.
As a local business, we fully support the right of every candidate and organization to choose the vendors that best meet their needs, budgets, and timelines. Running a campaign is a massive undertaking, and we respect the pragmatism required to manage it effectively.
Mr. Handeland has been a valued customer of ours in the past, and we appreciate the support he has shown our local shop. We sincerely apologize to Mr. Handeland for the public distraction and any unprofessionalism he experienced.
Our mission is to support the Anchorage community through quality work, not through political commentary. We wish all candidates a fair and successful election.
— The Management Team at AT Publishing
The market place and pricing wins again.
The American way.
The most relevant fact is omitted from this entire discussion. How much extra money would it have cost to buy at the local AT Publishing Company? If the price of non-local supply, including delivery, was 97% or less than the local price then I don’t blame the candidate.