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Click Bishop

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Click Bishop
Bishop in January 2019
Member of the Alaska Senate
In office
January 18, 2013 – January 21, 2025
Preceded byRedistricted
Succeeded byMike Cronk
ConstituencyDistrict C (2013−2023)
District R (2023−2025)
Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development
In office
January 11, 2007[1] – April 2012[2]
GovernorSarah Palin (2007-2009)
Sean Parnell (2009-2012)
Preceded byGreg O’Claray
Succeeded byDianne Blumer[3]
Personal details
Born
Clark Calvin Bishop

(1957-07-25) July 25, 1957 (age 67)
Mexico, Missouri, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseDarlene
Children2[2]

Clark Calvin "Click" Bishop (born July 25, 1957) is an American politician. A member of the Republican Party, he served in the Alaska Senate from 2013 to 2025.[4] Bishop represented the western Fairbanks North Star Borough and many rural communities in Interior Alaska. Bishop served as the state's Commissioner of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development from 2007 to 2012.[5]

Early life

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Clark Bishop was born on July 25, 1957, in Mexico, Missouri, the older of two children born to Howell Calvin Bishop and wife Jacqueline (née Murphy).[6] In 1959, the family moved to Alaska. They spent over a decade living in a variety of small settlements along the Alaska Highway and Richardson Highway corridors while the elder Bishop worked in construction. Bishop moved to Fairbanks to complete his education, graduating from Lathrop High School in 1974.[7]

Union career

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After graduation from high school, Bishop joined the Operating Engineers Local 302 and, starting with the Alaska Pipeline, worked on diverse construction projects across the state. From 1991 until his retirement from the union in 2006, Bishop was the administrator and coordinator for the Alaska Operating Engineers/Employers Training Trust. The Trust offers heavy equipment training for apprentice and journey-level workers.[8][9]

Political career

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Bishop somewhat reluctantly left retirement later in 2006 to become Labor Commissioner, the head of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, under newly-elected Governor Sarah Palin.[10] When Governor Palin resigned in July 2009, her successor, former lieutenant governor Sean Parnell, kept Bishop on as Labor Commissioner. When Parnell was elected governor in his own right in November 2010, he again retained Bishop as head of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Bishop retired as Labor Commissioner in March 2012, and less than two months later filed a letter of intent with the Alaska Public Offices Commission to run for a Senate seat.[11]

With Democratic Senator Albert Kookesh redistricted to District Q following the 2010 census, Bishop won the District C August 28, 2012, Republican Primary with 2,679 votes (47.06%) against former Senator Ralph Seekins and challenger David Eastman.[12] Bishop won the November 6, 2012, General election with 10,051 votes (70.40%) against Democratic nominee Anne Sudkamp.[13]

Bishop ran unopposed to a second four-year term in 2016. Bishop did not seek re-election in 2024.[14]

On May 5, 2025, Bishop filed a letter of intent to run for governor with campaign regulators. This is the first step to participate in the 2026 Alaska gubernatorial campaign.[15]

References

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  1. ^ "Governor Palin Appoints Three More to Administration" (Press release). Juneau, Alaska: State of Alaska. Newsroom. January 11, 2007. Archived from the original on July 6, 2009. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
  2. ^ a b "Senator Click Bishop". Alaska State Legislature. Juneau, Alaska: State of Alaska. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
  3. ^ Cornwall, Daniel; Bornstein, Sara (April 2013). "Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development [List of commissioners and deputy commissioners] 1959 – Present" (PDF). Alaska State Library Historical Collections. Juneau, Alaska: Alaska State Library. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
  4. ^ "Click Bishop". Juneau, Alaska: Alaska Legislature. Retrieved October 30, 2013.
  5. ^ McGroarty, Erin (December 16, 2019). "Get to know your legislator: CLICK BISHOP". Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
  6. ^ "Jacqueline "Jackie" Bishop obituary". Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. January 8, 2022. Retrieved June 26, 2022.
  7. ^ "Senator Clark Bishop's Biography". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved October 30, 2013.
  8. ^ Bohman, Amanda (October 31, 2014). "Alaska Senate District C candidates grapple with family ties". Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Fairbanks, Alaska: The Helen Snedden Foundation. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
  9. ^ "Alaska Senate Majority: Senator Click Bishop". Alaska Senate Majority. Juneau, Alaska: Senate Majority Press Office. Archived from the original on September 18, 2014. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
  10. ^ McGroarty, Erin (December 16, 2019). "Get to know your legislator: CLICK BISHOP". The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. The Helen Snedden Foundation. Retrieved May 18, 2025. "I told her (Palin) 'no' the first time. I told her 'no' the second time. But she asked a third time," Bishop said, recalling his mind was changed by a friend's urging to step up to the challenge.
  11. ^ "Ex-labor commissioner files intent to run for state Senate". The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Fairbanks, Alaska: The Helen Snedden Foundation. Associated Press. May 17, 2012. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
  12. ^ "State of Alaska 2012 Primary Election August 28, 2012 Official Results". Juneau, Alaska: State of Alaska Division of Elections. Retrieved October 30, 2013.
  13. ^ "State of Alaska 2012 General Election November 6, 2012 Official Results". Juneau, Alaska: State of Alaska Division of Elections. Retrieved October 30, 2013.
  14. ^ Maguire, Sean; Samuels, Iris (May 30, 2024). "Alaska Rep. Dan Ortiz, Sen. Click Bishop say they won't run for reelection". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  15. ^ Stone, Eric (May 5, 2025). "2 Republicans kick off 2026 campaign for Alaska governor". Alaska Public Media. Retrieved May 14, 2025.
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Media related to Click Bishop at Wikimedia Commons

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