{{short description|American politician}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2017}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Ethan Berkowitz | image = Ethan Berkowitz (27438918357).jpg | caption = Berkowitz, May 2018 | office = Mayor of Anchorage | term_start = July 1, 2015 | term_end = October 23, 2020 | predecessor = Dan Sullivan | successor = Austin Quinn-Davidson (acting) | office1 = Minority Leader of the Alaska House of Representatives | term_start1 = 1999 | term_end1 = 2006 | predecessor1 = Gene Kubina | successor1 = Beth Kerttula | office2 = Member of the Alaska House of Representatives | term_start2 = 1997 | term_end2 = 2007 | constituency2 = 26th district (2003–2007)<br />13th district (1997–2003) | predecessor2 = Cynthia Toohey | successor2 = Lindsey Holmes | birth_name = Ethan Avram Berkowitz | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1962|2|4}} | birth_place = San Francisco, California, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | party = Democratic | spouse = Mara Kimmel | children = 2 | education = Harvard University (AB)<br />University of Cambridge (MPhil)<br />University of California, Hastings (JD) }}
'''Ethan Avram Berkowitz''' (born February 4, 1962) is an American attorney, businessman, and politician from Alaska. From 1997 to 2007 he was the Alaska State Representative for District 26, serving as the Democratic Party minority leader from 1999 to 2007. He was the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor in 2006, for Alaska's at-large congressional district in 2008, and for governor in 2010. He was elected mayor of Anchorage in 2015, and reelected in 2018.<ref>{{cite news|first=Zachariah|last=Hughes|url=https://www.ktoo.org/2018/04/18/anchorage-officials-certify-vote-by-mail-results/|work=KTOO-TV|title=Anchorage officials certify vote-by-mail results|date=April 18, 2018|access-date=April 22, 2018}}</ref> Berkowitz resigned as mayor of Anchorage in October 2020 after admitting to being in a "consensual, inappropriate messaging relationship" with a reporter.<ref name="alaska-public-resignation">{{cite web|url=https://www.alaskapublic.org/2020/10/13/anchorage-mayor-berkowitz-says-hes-resigning/|title=Anchorage Mayor Berkowitz has resigned|date=October 13, 2020|last=Herz|first=Nathaniel|website=Alaska Public Media}}</ref><ref name="Baker">{{Cite news|last=Baker|first=Mike|date=2020-10-13|title=Anchorage Mayor Resigns After Admitting to 'Inappropriate' Relationship With TV Anchor|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/13/us/Anchorage-mayor-Berkowitz-Athens.html|access-date=2020-10-14|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref name="cbsnews.com">{{Cite web|title=Anchorage mayor admits to "inappropriate" relationship with TV reporter who was arrested|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/anchorage-mayor-ethan-berkowitz-inappropriate-relationship-tv-reporter-maria-athens/|access-date=2020-10-14|website=www.cbsnews.com|date=October 13, 2020 |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Early life and education== Berkowitz was born to a Jewish family in San Francisco.<ref>https://www.jweekly.com/2017/04/26/anchorages-jewish-mayor-is-one-of-the-frozen-chosen-and-an-s-f-native/&ved=2ahUKEwiP6vmw4bTsAhUFRqwKHRQDAa4QFjABegQICBAC&usg=AOvVaw3c_XB4bBNvbuRkj-7ewXG7 {{Dead link|date=February 2022}}</ref> He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in government and economics from Harvard College in 1983, a MPhil in polar studies from the University of Cambridge in 1986, and a Juris Doctor from the Hastings College of Law in San Francisco, in 1990.{{cn|date=December 2024}}
He moved to Alaska after graduating from law school and has worked as an attorney and business owner.<ref>[http://www.elections.alaska.gov/doc/oep/1996/berkowit.htm] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140820225028/http://www.elections.alaska.gov/doc/oep/1996/berkowit.htm|date=August 20, 2014}}, State of Alaska, Division of Elections, 1996. Retrieved April 29, 2001</ref>
==Political career== ===Alaska House of Representatives=== {{Further|24th Alaska State Legislature}}
Berkowitz was the Democratic minority leader in the Alaska House of Representatives from 1999 to 2007. He was first elected to represent District 26 (Anchorage) in 1996 and reelected in 1998, 2000, 2002, and 2004.
===2006 campaign=== {{Main article|2006 Alaska gubernatorial election}}
In the 2006 election Berkowitz was the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor of Alaska, running with gubernatorial nominee Tony Knowles. Knowles and Berkowitz were defeated in the general election by Sarah Palin and Sean Parnell, 48% to 41%.
===2008 campaign=== {{Main article|2008 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska}}
In 2008 Berkowitz ran for election as U.S. Representative for Alaska's at-large congressional district, held by scandal-plagued Republican Don Young, who was seeking his 19th term in Congress. Berkowitz defeated Diane Benson in the August 26 Democratic primary by a substantial margin.<ref>Michael O'Brien, [http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/stevens-wins-primary-young-locked-in-a-nail-biter-2008-08-27.html "Stevens wins primary, Young locked in a nail biter"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080922061944/http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/stevens-wins-primary-young-locked-in-a-nail-biter-2008-08-27.html |date=September 22, 2008 }}, TheHill.com, August 27, 2008.</ref>
The initial results from the general election on November 4, 2008, showed Young leading the race, but with many absentee and provisional ballots left to be counted, the race was not called. On November 12 it was reported that Young had been reelected.<ref>[http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5j_Jou0BRNSWPmplUuT8qwccyVvggD94DT0F80 ap.google.com, Young retains US House seat in Alaska] {{dead link|date=November 2012|bot=Legobot}}</ref><ref>[http://www.kfor.com/Global/story.asp?S=278910&nav=menu99_10_5 kfor.com, Young retains US House seat in Alaska]{{Dead link|date=October 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Berkowitz conceded defeat on November 18, after counting of absentee and provisional ballots had mostly been completed and Young had a clearly insurmountable lead. Ultimately Young received 50% of the vote to Berkowitz's 45%. Berkowitz received more votes in 2008 (142,560) than any Democrat who had ever run against Young for Congress, and came the closest any Democrat had to unseating Young since 1990, when John Devens of Valdez received 48% of the vote.<ref>[http://community.adn.com/adn/node/134635 ''Anchorage Daily News'', The other congressional race – Berkowitz concedes to Young] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130516125823/http://community.adn.com/adn/node/134635 |date=May 16, 2013 }}</ref>
===2010 campaign=== {{Main article|2010 Alaska gubernatorial election}}
In December 2008 Berkowitz said he was considering challenging Young again in 2010,<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.rollcall.com/news/-30517-1.html|title = Berkowitz Ponders Rematch With Young in Alaska|date = December 3, 2008|access-date = December 7, 2018|website = Roll Call|last = Toeplitz|first = Shira}}</ref> but in July 2009 he said he would not run and was instead considering challenging Governor Sarah Palin.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.rollcall.com/issues/54_146/-35874-1.html|title = Young May Avoid Hard Race in 2010|date = June 16, 2009|access-date = December 7, 2018|website = Roll Call|last = Toeplitz|first = Shira}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/eyeon2010/2009/05/palin-may-face-10-governor-cha.html |title=This Democrat Is Itching To Run Against Sarah Palin for Governor – The Eye (CQ Politics) |publisher=Blogs.cqpolitics.com |date=May 27, 2009 |access-date=August 29, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090531065330/http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/eyeon2010/2009/05/palin-may-face-10-governor-cha.html |archive-date=May 31, 2009 }}</ref> Berkowitz entered the race following Palin's resignation in July 2009 and on August 24, 2010, he defeated State Senator Hollis S. French for the Democratic nomination. Incumbent Republican Governor Sean Parnell defeated Berkowitz and his running mate Diane E. Benson in the November general election, 59% to 38%.<ref>[http://aprn.org/2010/11/03/election-night-2010-incumbents-parnell-and-young-re-elected-possibly-murkowski/ Election Night 2010: Incumbents Parnell and Young Re-Elected, Possibly Murkowski] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101104151824/http://aprn.org/2010/11/03/election-night-2010-incumbents-parnell-and-young-re-elected-possibly-murkowski/ |date=November 4, 2010 }}, APRN October 3, 2010</ref>
===2015 mayoral campaign=== Berkowitz ran for mayor of Anchorage in 2015. He finished ahead of the rest of the field in the nonpartisan primary on April 7, advancing to a runoff with Assemblywoman Amy Demboski. Endorsed by the third-place finisher, former Republican state representative Andrew Halcro,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://ak-pipeline.com/?p=8046|agency=Pipeline|title=Halcro makes last-minute Berkowitz endorsement in mayoral race|date=May 4, 2015|access-date=May 5, 2015}}</ref> he won the May 5 runoff election by a 19-point margin.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ktuu.com/news/news/berkowitz-has-initial-lead-in-anchorage-mayoral-runoff/32832596 |agency=KTUU-TV |title=Berkowitz defeats Demboski by wide margin to become Anchorage mayor |first=Chris |last=Klint |date=May 5, 2015 |access-date=May 5, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150507041007/http://www.ktuu.com/news/news/berkowitz-has-initial-lead-in-anchorage-mayoral-runoff/32832596 |archive-date=May 7, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.adn.com/article/20150505/berkowitz-holds-big-lead-over-demboski-runoff-race-mayor|work=Alaska Dispatch News|title=Berkowitz holds big lead over Demboski in runoff race for mayor|date=May 5, 2015|access-date=May 5, 2015}}</ref>
Comments Berkowitz had made on the ''Bernadette and Berkowitz Show'' attracted controversy. In the context of a debate on October 13, 2014, with co-host Bernadette Wilson over same-sex marriage, Berkowitz had said, "I support the idea of adults being able to choose who they have a relationship with. Father and son should be allowed to marry, if they’re both consenting adults—if you’re defining marriage as the bundle of rights and privileges that’s now accrued to people, then yes."<ref>Marans, Daniel, "[https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/05/ethan-berkowitz_n_7214030.html Incest Becomes Last-Minute Campaign Issue In Anchorage Mayoral Race]," ''Huffington Post,'' May 5, 2015. Retrieved September 4, 2016.</ref><ref>Wilson, Bernadette, "[http://joemiller.us/2015/05/surprise-anchorage-mayoral-candidate-ethan-berkowitz-really-did-support-disgusting-father-son-marriage/ Surprise: Anchorage Mayoral Candidate Ethan Berkowitz Really Did Support Disgusting Father-Son Marriage]," ''Restoring Liberty,'' May 2, 2015. Retrieved September 4, 2016.</ref> Berkowitz later called the remark a "hypothetical insinuation", denying that he supports incest.<ref>[http://m.ktuu.com/on-eve-of-election-day-recording-of-provocative-radio-interview-released/32810164 Recording of remark] {{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}: "On eve of Election Day, recording of provocative radio interview released," ''KTUU TV,'' May 4, 2015. Retrieved September 4, 2016.</ref>
===Mayor of Anchorage=== On July 1, 2015, Berkowitz was sworn in as Anchorage's mayor. In his inauguration speech he urged city residents and leaders to work to overcome differences and "rise above the immediacy and smallness of the moment".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.adn.com/article/20150701/berkowitz-sworn-anchorage-mayor-downtown-ceremony|title=Berkowitz sworn in as Anchorage mayor in downtown ceremony|first=Devin|last=Kelly|date=July 1, 2015|access-date=July 1, 2015|work=Alaska Dispatch News}}</ref> On October 13, 2020, he announced that he would resign, effective October 23, after he acknowledged the previous day that he had been in a "consensual, inappropriate messaging relationship" with Maria Athens, a KYUR television anchor.<ref name="alaska-public-resignation" /><ref name="Baker" /><ref name="cbsnews.com" />
===Other ventures=== Berkowitz took the position of senior vice president of the Anchorage, Alaska branch of Strategies 360 in February 2011.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/berkowitz-goes-work-consulting-firm |title=Berkowitz goes to work for consulting firm |publisher=Alaskadispatch.com |date=February 11, 2011 |access-date=March 12, 2011 |archive-date=July 7, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707103238/http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/berkowitz-goes-work-consulting-firm |url-status=dead }}</ref> He and Bernadette Wilson were co-hosts of the ''Bernadette and Berkowitz Show'' on Anchorage radio station KFQD in 2014. He left the show and began a mayoral campaign.<ref>Kelly, Devin, "[http://www.adn.com/anchorage/article/bernadette-wilsons-kfqd-show-will-not-be-renewed/2016/01/01/ Anchorage radio station KFQD drops Bernadette Wilson's show]," ''Anchorage Dispatch News,'' December 31, 2015, updated July 8, 2016. Retrieved September 4, 2016.</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Ethan Berkowitz}} * [https://www.muni.org/departments/mayor/pages/default.aspx Mayor's Office website] * [https://ethanforanchorage.com Ethan Berkowitz for Mayor of Anchorage] ''Official campaign website'' * {{CongLinks|congbio=|votesmart=12804|fec=H8AK00108|congress=}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20220531083944/100years.akleg.gov/bio.php?id=659 Ethan Berkowitz] at ''100 Years of Alaska's Legislature'', Archived * {{C-SPAN|1017518}}
{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-ak-hs}} {{s-bef|before=Gene Kubina}} {{s-ttl|title=Minority Leader of the Alaska House of Representatives|years=1999–2006}} {{s-aft|after=Beth Kerttula}} |- {{s-ppo}} {{s-bef|before=Gene Kubina}} {{s-ttl|title=Democratic Leader of the Alaska House of Representatives|years=1999–2006}} {{s-aft|after=Beth Kerttula}} |- {{s-bef|before=Ernie Hall}} {{s-ttl|title=Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Alaska|years=2006}} {{s-aft|after=Diane Benson}} |- {{s-bef|before=Tony Knowles}} {{s-ttl|title=Democratic nominee for Governor of Alaska|years=2010}} {{s-aft|after=Byron Mallott<br />Withdrew}} |- {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=Dan Sullivan}} {{s-ttl|title=Mayor of Anchorage|years=2015–2020}} {{s-aft|after=Austin Quinn-Davidson<br />Acting}} {{s-end}}
{{Mayors of Anchorage}} {{AK Democratic gubernatorial nominees}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Berkowitz, Ethan}} Category:1962 births Category:Living people Category:Alaska lawyers Category:Alumni of the University of Cambridge Category:Candidates in the 2008 United States elections Category:Candidates in the 2010 United States elections Category:Harvard College alumni Category:Jewish state legislators in Alaska Category:Jewish American mayors Category:Lawyers from San Francisco Category:Mayors of Anchorage, Alaska Category:Democratic Party members of the Alaska House of Representatives Category:21st-century members of the Alaska Legislature Category:Politicians from San Francisco Category:Radio personalities from Alaska Category:University of California College of the Law, San Francisco alumni Category:21st-century American Jews