By SUZANNE DOWNING
Sept. 23, 2026 – Criticism of Bernadette Wilson’s business finances surfaced again in the governor’s race this week, this time in a comment on the Republican candidate’s Facebook page. Wilson answered with an account of the cash flow problems she faced while running her garbage company during and after the Covid shutdowns.
Lucy Bauer, who has expressed strong support for rival candidate Treg Taylor on her own Facebook page, questioned whether voters should support Wilson given her difficulty paying bills. “How could we vote for her?” Bauer wrote. “Even she wasn’t responsible for her own bills? That’s really bothering me.” The comment provided no details about which bills Bauer meant; Bauer provided no receipts for her accusation.
Wilson has faced criticism over late bills and even the loss of a Permanent Fund dividend to satisfy a debt. In her response, she did not brush aside the struggle. Wilson, who has been endorsed by Congressman Nick Begich, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, Gov. Sarah Huckabee, Congressman Byron Donalds, Morton Blackwell, and other national figures, leaned into the struggles she has endured. She said it was part of why she is running for governor, and the hardships have made her more resilient. Here is her response in full:
Lucy Bauer, I could tell you of business challenges and cash flow problems like you would not understand. I can tell you about sleepless nights and a pit in your stomach, worried whether or not you will be able to pull through. During COVID especially, I had many nights wondering if we would make it.
As a single mother, I understand the concerns surrounding Alaska’s high cost of living — I have lived it. I understand these challenges firsthand better than most.
At the end of the day, I thank Almighty God that we pulled through, and I am glad that still today, that business is surviving, even for all the challenges it still has on any given day.
My heart breaks for businesses that are not so fortunate. I had several friends lose their businesses after COVID, and just last week, I had a business owner come to me in tears who had to shut her doors after not being able to make payroll. I hear constantly from Alaskans worried about the high cost of living.
My message to all of you: Keep going. These are the moments that make you resilient. Trust God, and He will pull you through.
So yes, I know these challenges firsthand. I also know what it takes to pull through them, and quite frankly, it’s about damn time we had a Governor who did too. I’m tired of hearing “experienced” politicians and government bureaucrats talk about how they understand the current challenges of businesses and economic pressures.
Considering you moved here from China and are supporting a candidate that was born in Canada, I’m sure you especially appreciate that the American dream comes with challenges and struggles, but the hope that we can own our future. For all the challenges and rewards, the heartbreak and the victories, it gives us a grit and a determination and a resilience that simply can’t be taught anywhere else.
Donald Trump declared bankruptcy six times, and I know you may not have voted for him, but I did. His business challenges gave me confidence that he truly understood how to go through hell. And I believe that he is one of the best presidents Alaska has ever had.
Alaska, stay strong! The days of career bureaucrats are coming to an end. I know the bills are piling up, and so many of you are behind, worried about if you will make it.
I’m here to stand next to you and to pray with you through all these struggles. We are in this together, and I will fight like hell on your behalf.
The exchange drew responses from Wilson supporters who defended her record as a entrepreneurial business owner and single mother who started a garbage company from scratch.
Bauer’s support for Taylor adds a political edge to the criticism. Taylor has faced a separate dispute over his public financial disclosures: The Alaska Public Offices Commission recommended against certifying his nomination, but Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom reversed her initial decision after a Department of Law review and kept him on the ballot. That proceeding concerned filing transparency and flouting of the APOC rules.
Wilson’s answer leaves voters with a question: Does struggling to keep a business alive diminish a candidate’s qualifications, or give that candidate a closer understanding of what other Alaskans are going through?
Note to readers: The writer of this article has endorsed Bernadette Wilson for governor.
25 thoughts on “Bernadette Wilson answers criticism of her business debts with grace — and a story of survival”
Pity the Dems and Independents who so love the underdog yet can’t be bothered to read the article. Such is the hypocrisy on display.
Only the strong survive such an event , covid , government unessary burdens, Fire devastation. Even Trump him self has had financial struggles. After watching Bernadette survive all of this and knowing and growing up with the family background she has . Bernadette is a survive a stellar Buisness woman and mother, who understands Alaska Buisness challenges. She 100% has my vote.
This is why women should never hold positions of power. Too much emotion to be reliable.
Who among us hasn’t had money/career/business troubles almost to the point of ruin? Stop with the pity party single mom BS.
Time to repeal the 19th Amendment and keep women out of their equation.
Additionally nobody under the age of 55 gives a rats a** about endorsements. It is just pathetic, sad, and often counterproductive. It is akin to having to have a cosigner.
The only vote that matters this fall is voting YED on 2!
Hmm, Tim do you apply the same standard to men, who want to settle every argument with their fists or yelling threats? Seems to me they are not very stable either and should not hold positions of power.
Maybe you think a mental health test is a requirement for voting, but then who will administer that one and make that choice????
Since time immemorial women have kept things running while the men went off to bash each others heads in, so spare us your chauvinism. Women like men have individual talents and flaws. Their gender doesn’t determine whether or not they are good leaders.
You don’t like Mrs. Wilson? That is your prerogative and so don’t vote for her, but she has a right to run for the office and vote for the candidates she deems best suited.
Get over it!
“……. do you apply the same standard to men, who want to settle every argument with their fists or yelling threats?……..”
Actually, those acts are crimes which subject the actor to criminal prosecution.
Oh come on Reggie, we all know the men, who walk into a room with a chip on their shoulders, challenging all to either acquiesce or “take it outside” while taking offense to everything. These individuals are emotionally unstable and I was wondering if Tim would revoke their right to vote as well, since his argument was solely based on “emotionalism” to cut half the population off from representation.
Women should not have the right to vote. Period.
Reference the clancy trial where the women wanted to let a murder walk free just because they felt like it.
Nice try Tim!
To my knowledge the Clancy jury also had 3 men, two of whom voted for essentially an acquittal of this murderer. Again should they loose their voting rights as well?
As for the Clancy trial, I am convinced that these activists had their mind made up before they ever stepped into a courtroom. It also speaks to the lack of moral/civic grounding to have the urge to make select evildoers into victims. Our current immigration enforcement against illegal aliens is a very pertinent example of that.
She was only responding to false assumption and criticism. She isn’t allowed to defend herself?
YES on 2
I wonder why it has taken THIS LONG for the Alaska Story to run with this article? It has surfaced for months. When I asked for an off-the-record interview, so as not to rely on rumors, the promised call never came. And being a single Mom raises other questions, too. Someone in financial and family difficulties somehow wants to solve an entire state’s problems? Please don’t tell me that a candidate’s personal life should have nothing to do with their qualifications for elected office. Conservatives: make your choice, pick your poison, and RANK THE RED and keep the Dems OUT of office.
Well. Alaska as been electing fifty legislators over the last twenty six years who have no business and budget sense . If Alaskans knew the difference between right and wrong community leaders to elect into the legislature, Alaska government wouldn’t be so large that it’s making the budget runs deficit and debt, we’d be still receiving a full statute dividend, and businesses and housing developers would be building on Alaska
Bob, I doubt speaking with you would be high on the list of things Bernadette feels compelled to do. Probably better not to make yourself the center of attention here. How do you suppose people learn good judgment? By learning from their mistakes. I’m sure you never made one, so you can stand in judgment of her, but for the rest of us, it sure sounds like she made payroll and paid her debts. I don’t think anybody has posited that someone’s personal life does not affect the rest of their life, but in this case, I’d say learning and moving forward and making things right is a lot better than untested and unknowable. There but for the Grace of God go I. Of course, you are entitled to your opinion and your vote, but I don’t know that running down one of our three candidates helps anyone on the conservative side.
“ And I believe that he is one of the best presidents Alaska has ever had.“
Please please please don’t let this nut job become governor.
I applaud her rationale. I personally have a 2nd cousin who went bankrupt 7 times and womanized his past 20 years before divorcing his 3rd wife. He would be a perfect candidate to teach my grandchildren social studies and business advice. Give me a damn break…..
Sorry, Damon, but your degenerate relatives don’t really speak all that well of you, either. Not sure what that has to do with Bernadette. She paid her debts. She raised her kids. But I suppose you did so much better that you can now stand in judgment. Pure as the driven snow, are you? Sounds like your relatives probably would have a thing or two to mention about you, too. Should we believe them?
I think she was making reference to the comparison of the most recent Presidents particularly Trumps predecessor Autopen Biden who successfully cut Alaskan energy production off at the knees with all the lease cancellations and locking up the National Petroleum Reserves indefinitely as well as preferring purchased oil from the outlaw Maduro who was more involved in Fentanyl sales to America rather than oil from Venezuela. Bidens failed energy policies themselves makes your “hated orange man” syndrome fall on its knees.
Lucy Bauer and other Republicans: your crowd doesn’t have the choice not to vote for Wilson. Because Wilson did come up on top of all gubernatorial Republican candidates She is most likely going to appeal more to Right, moderate, conservative, and undecided voters than Bronson and Taylor. The probability is in her favor by scoring the most primary votes she’ll increase more than Bronson and Taylor eventhough their increase their numbers but probability they’ll not surpass the voters skipping the primary but will show up in the general.
Republicans have a more likely probability keeping Governor’s office and administration in its control and a Governor in Wilson who will be more agreeable to AKGOP than JKT,
Some criticism a public figure has to ride it out without giving it attention. But the criticism of alleged debts and failures it did need Wilson to had come forward without over explaining herself and her life.
You know just like Dunleavy is really smart politically, he knows how to communicate and be politically astute. Wilson possess the same political savvy and strategies characteristics.
She’s said all these things before. She’s a broken record. I’m surprised she didn’t explain her plan to have a conversation about the conversations she’ll have as Governor who governs the state through having conversations.
You’re scraping the bottom of the barrel for newsworthy items if you’re writing an article based on a response to a Facebook post.
One clear shot: Rank all three in their primary order. Or get JKT.
What we do know is that state employees and legislators sure did not have to worry about going bankrupt during Covid. They were “protected” by taxpayers who paid their salaries/benefits. Thousands of Alaskans never had this luxury. And as Bernadette pointed out, they lost their livelihoods along with their financial reputations, to say nothing of how their personal lives were affected.
In the governor’s race, rank all 3 or get JKT and YES ON 2 ballot measure.
[…] Bernadette Wilson answers criticism of her business debts with grace — and a story of survival […]
Bernadette proved her ability to stand up against tyranny during a crucial period during the Covid lockdowns that were enforced in Anchorage under the fake ASSembly appointed mayor AQD who hired “covid cops” at 60K/year to sneak around businesses undercover and fine restaurant owners and workers for mask violations and punish with heavy handed fines. She showed up and pointed out each and every corrupt ASSembly member who authorized the scam which resulted in forcing businesses to shutdown permanently while being forced to pay ongoing property tax during those forced closures. Bernadette stood tall when the Assembly members chose to stay home and sleep during telephonic meetings. Kameron Perez Verdia was caught snoring over an open mic during one of those meetings. He didnt care enough to stay awake during public testimony sessions.
I’ll vote for her and Mike, but that was an Ahole move to screw over Shoreside Petroleum like that. Especially since they were willing to extend her credit. And it shows poor business practice. For any transportation company, the first bills you pay are the fuel and tire vendors. Why didn’t She try to work it out with Kurt Lindsey before getting the courts and lawyers involved? That does not indicate grace to me.