KNOWLES BIOGRAPHIES
Anthony Carroll "Tony"
KNOWLES (b 1943)
American Politician
Governor of Alaska
Knowles Progenitor -
To be established
official campaign photo
based on article from
Wikipedia,
and Knowles research by Robert B. Noles
Tony Knowles for Governor Web Site
GENEALOGY
Anthony Carroll "Tony" Knowles (b 1943)
research to be established
Anthony Carroll "Tony" Knowles (born January 1, 1943 in Tulsa, Oklahoma) is an American Democratic politician and businessman who served as Governor of Alaska from December 1994 to December 2002. Tony is currently (November 2006) running for Governor of Alaska against Sarah Palin (R) and Andrew Halcro.
After three terms on the Anchorage Assembly, he served two terms as mayor of Anchorage from 1981 to 1987. Knowles first ran for governor in 1990, but was defeated by Walter Hickel. In 1994, he defeated former lieutenant governor Steve McAlpine in the Democratic primary and was elected governor in the general election. In the generally Republican state of Alaska, Knowles's victory was largely brought about by the extremely negative campaign strategy used by the Republican candidate Jim Campbell. In the election, Knowles received 41.1%, Campbell 40.8% and lieutenant governor Jack Coghill of the Alaskan Independence Party 13%.
Knowles won the 1998 election in a landslide, defeating Republican John Lindauer
51%-18%. Knowles victory in this race was also due largely to an extremely
negative campaign brought about by John Lindauer, controversy surrounding
Lindauer and his misrepresentation of facts on campaign finance documents, and
questions about Lindauer's state residency. Republican Robin Taylor, who
was defeated in the primary by Lindauer, garnered 20% of the vote after
announcing his write-in campaign only one week prior to the election. Knowles
did not run for reelection in 2002 due to a consecutive two-term limit.
Alaska law actually allows for three terms, but requires a break between two
consecutive terms and a third.
Knowles was chair of the Western Governors' Association in 1997, two-term chair
of the Interstate Oil & Gas Compact Commission, and a member of the Pew Oceans
Commission (POC). His membership in the POC caused him later problems due
to the anti-fishing industry stance taken by that organization.
During his term, Knowles established Denali Kid Care, which provided basic
health care for 25,000 children and 5,000 pregnant women. The National
Child Welfare League named Knowles as their Child Advocate of the Year in 1998.
A strong supporter of the Alaska National Guard, Knowles was recipient of the
Guard's Pro Patria award and the 2001 Charles Dick Silver Medal of Merit.
Governor Knowles forged the "Millennium Agreement", a government-to-government
agreement with tribes to foster rural delivery of services and economic
development. He earned special recognition by the National Congress of American
Indians in 2001 and the Alaska Federation of Natives Denali Award, the highest
award given to a non-native.
Knowles pushed Canadian officials to adopt his "safe passage" principle to
protect Pacific salmon and their freshwater habitat, leading to the successful
negotiation of the first coast wide salmon treaty in decades.
During his final term as governor, opponents attacked him as a weak leader who
avoided taking a position on several key issues, as exemplified by the "Where's
Tony?" campaign.
In 2004, he ran for the United States Senate, as the Democratic challenger to
Republican incumbent Lisa Murkowski. Knowles was at first thought likely
to win by many, but he was narrowly defeated in the election.
Knowles is outspoken against capital punishment. He supports the idea of
abolishing the death penalty across the U.S., and he thanks anti-death penalty
groups for their work.
On May 29, 2006, he announced his bid to return to the governor's office in
2006. On August 22, 2006, Knowles defeated Eric Croft in the
Democratic primary to become the Democratic nominee for Governor of Alaska in
the general election.
Knowles volunteered for the U.S. Army in 1962, joining the 82nd Airborne Division, and later served in Vietnam. Knowles achieved passage of legislation to create guaranteed veterans housing in the state's Pioneer's Homes, and honored their service through official days of recognition and a mountain named to honor POW/MIAs.
He earned a degree in economics from Yale University in 1968. There, he
was a fraternity brother of George W. Bush, who graduated the same year and was
also a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon. After graduation, he moved to Alaska
and worked on oil drilling rigs on the North Slope and in Cook Inlet. In
1969, Knowles started his first of four restaurants including the Downtown Deli
& Café in Anchorage.
An avid fly fisherman, cross country skier, and (retired) marathon runner, Tony
Knowles and his wife Susan (Morris) Knowles currently reside in Anchorage.
They have three children, Devon, Luke, and Sara.
