Politics of Alaska best performance, with a net gain of 7.5 percentage points. In 2008, Governor Sarah Palin became the first Republican woman to run on a national ticket when she became John McCain's running mate. She continued to be a prominent national figure even after resigning from the governor's job in July 2009. Politics of Alaska Political party strength in Alaska has varied over the years. The communities of Juneau, Sitka, downtown and midtown Anchorage, the areas surrounding the College/University of Alaska Fairbanks campus and Ester and the "Alaska Bush" – rural, sparsely populated Alaska – stand out as Democratic strongholds, while
Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities The Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF) is a department within the government of Alaska. It has its headquarters in Juneau. The Alaska Department of Transportation was established by Alaska Highway Commissioner Walter Parker during the administration of Governor Jay Hammond. The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities was a merger of two other Alaska Departments---The Department of Highways and the Department of Public Works. it was created on July 1, 1977. When Governor Hammond took office in 197ds5 he appointed Walter Parker as Commissioner of Highways and Donald Harris