By John Fraser, Seward Folly
September 18, 2025,  Seward, Alaska

Three moderately different visions for Seward’s future surfaced last Thursday night, September 11, 2025, as the city’s three mayoral candidates, incumbent Sue McClure, maritime veteran Tim McDonald, and Libertarian candidate Leighton Radner, debated budget priorities, housing, utilities, and tourism in a forum hosted by KBBI, the Peninsula Clarion, and the Seward Folly.

McClure: Experience and Steadiness

Mayor Sue McClure leaned heavily on her deep roots in Seward, describing herself as a careful listener and consensus-builder. She pointed to her three years as mayor, seven years on the city council, and six years on the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly as evidence of her experience in local government.

McClure reminded voters of her decades as a science educator, both in Alaska and in higher education institutions in the Lower 48, before returning to Seward in retirement.

“My history in Seward is a strong asset,” she said. “I have no personal agenda, only to do what is good for Seward.”

On utilities, McClure defended the city’s management contract for Seward Electric and argued that infrastructure upgrades completed during her term have stabilized a system plagued by failures that resulted from deferred maintenance. On housing, she stressed that projects launched in recent years would soon expand affordable options inside city limits. She described her role as defending a budget that was agreed to by the entire city council as a result of a responsible deliberative process involving all city council representatives and the staff.

McDonald: Hands-On, Local Perspective

Tim McDonald has lived his entire life in Seward. McDonald positioned himself as the candidate of practical know-how and local loyalty. He noted in his candidate’s statement published earlier by the Seward Folly, “I experienced the Good Friday earthquake at seven years old.” 

McDonald’s opening comments sketched out a story of his life steeped in Seward’s maritime culture. From tugboats to commercial diving, he stressed his working-class résumé as proof of his understanding of Seward’s needs. McDonald brings a combative approach to his candidacy, pushing back on some processes including public statements dismissing collective bargaining, expressing concern about the role of tourism in the local economy, and feeling that current government representatives do not understand the costs of tourism for quality of year-round life.

McDonald’s sharpest critiques targeted Seward Electric. He argued the utility charges too much, especially the costs borne by borough residents drawing power outside city limits. He felt that revenues from power sales are wrongly diverted into other city services, a strategy he called an “inappropriate tax” that might support other services that benefit the workforce and residents from Lowell Point to Moose Pass, and vowed to push for recovery cost only rates.

On tourism, McDonald illustrated his strongest stance on this major component of Seward’s economy. It was his position that Seward has already exceeded its capacity even before the larger cruise terminal opens. He felt that Seward should limit cruise ship arrivals. He linked this position to his broader concern that Seward’s government has become too dependent on seasonal business, leaving year-round residents paying the price. When asked about the more than half the number of cruise arrivals and departures who don’t venture into the city, McDonald still felt the city has more than enough tourists to support a year-round economy. 

Radner: Libertarian Call for Smaller Government

Leighton Radner, the youngest of the three candidates, sought to cast himself as a new voice for accountability and transparency. Raised in modest circumstances in Alaska and having lived in several communities before settling in Seward, Radner told voters he is campaigning here because Seward was where he received his strongest support in a prior unsuccessful run for a state legislature seat.

“As a younger candidate, I bring fresh ideas and a new perspective,” he said. 

Radner is a board member of the Libertarian Party of Alaska and represented the state at the party’s 2024 national convention. His current campaign message continues to focus on limiting the size of government and protecting individual freedoms.

“Local government should never overreach or impose top-down decisions without community input,” he said.

On Seward Electric, Radner opposed privatization but also felt the city should end its management contract. His vision for the utility is to focus on recruiting and hiring experts to relocate to the city. On housing, he downplayed the city’s role, suggesting that residents must adjust expectations about services and lifestyles, highlighting his own modest upbringing. On tourism, he broke from the other two candidates by calling for investments in winter tourism to reduce the city’s seasonal fluctuations in population and income generation.

Key Points of Contrast on the Issues

• Budget: McClure defended the city’s current fiscal plan. McDonald attacked the reliance on utility revenue. Radner argued that government itself is too large and must be cut back.
• Utilities: McClure pointed to stabilization and voter decisions to keep the utility public. McDonald promised to advocate to the rest of City Council for a cost recovery rate structure that would reduce that source of revenue. Radner said Seward should directly staff the utility rather than outsourcing management.
• Tourism: McClure emphasized balance and the importance of tourism to local prosperity. McDonald urged limits and reductions to tourism to return the town to its fishing roots. Radner proposed a shift toward expanding winter tourism markets to expand year-round workforce opportunities.
• Housing: McClure highlighted projects underway including new land becoming available following the opening of the new terminal and relocation of city services. McDonald doubted current leaders understand residents’ concerns but felt that housing expansion within and outside city limits would resolve the current challenges. Radner suggested allowing substantially more modest living expectations over expanded services.

Areas of Agreement

Despite their differing philosophies, all three candidates emphasized the importance of listening to Seward residents, maintaining respectful debate, and working collaboratively with the city council. Each stressed familiarity with Robert’s Rules of Order and pledged to uphold decorum in meetings so that every council member’s voice could be heard. They also agreed that the housing shortage would be eased once ongoing development projects are completed. Each candidate acknowledged that accurate passenger counts and fee reporting from cruise and train arrivals are issues the city must address, even if none offered specific methods for doing so.

Responsibility to Non-Voting Residents

When asked about their responsibilities to Greater Seward residents, including seasonal workers and those living outside city limits who nonetheless rely on city services and contribute to the community’s workforce and culture, all three candidates expressed regret that these groups do not have a vote in city elections. McClure, McDonald, and Radner each noted their importance to Seward’s economy and social fabric, but none offered how service as mayor would represent those individuals’ concerns as part of the city’s governance process.

Residents Decide

The mayor’s job carries a modest stipend of $600 a month, while city council members earn $400. Yet the decisions the mayor stewards and represents as the face of the city’s priorities to other levels of government, from utility management to tourism policy, from the needs for other levels of government to adequately fund the city’s schools or how these decisions impact the workforce will impact Seward’s future.

Candidate bios and full written statements are available at cityofseward.us, and the Seward Folly has published additional materials from the forum at sewardfolly.com.

John Fraser is a psychologist, Director of Mission Impact at the Alaska SeaLife Center, a ceramics teacher at Keramiikka Ceramic Studio and Gallery, and fosters cats for the Seward’s animal shelter.