Rep. Mike Doogan in Juneau - Legislative Newsletter

In a building full of people known for their superhuman capacities for hot air and occasional hyperventilation, it’s rare that something happens with the power to suck the air out of the building. The passing of a very good friend, Rep. Carl Gatto from Palmer, has done just that.

Carl’s death hit the Legislature very hard this week, and I know it took a heavy toll on me. Carl came to the House of Representatives in 2003, and I joined a few years later. I liked him from the start. There are a lot of reasons for that.

This building, and what we call “the culture” in it, has a way of changing people. Some come here wearing blue jeans and work shirts, and speaking plain. They say they’ll never change … but they do. One of the things I liked best about Carl is that he never let the weight of politics, bickering or the rest derail his beliefs and approach to the world. Carl was truly a straight shooter, independent thinker and by all accounts, a very decent and good man.

We often disagreed on policy and philosophy, but I’ve never met a man I enjoyed disagreeing with so much. Carl was always the guy with the smile, and I honestly never saw him lose his cool. One of the other things I enjoyed so much about Carl was his seemingly infinite and energetic curiosity. It seemed every time we talked he was on to some new topic of interest, and deep into his research into it. That, combined with the persistent mischief in his eyes always made him seem, to me, like a much younger man.

I’m going to miss Carl a lot, and I hope that I’ve done half as well as he did at resisting the political gravity in this building. I also send my most sincere condolences to his wife, Cathy, and to his children, Kip, Toni, Sam and Gabe.

Rest in Peace, dear friend. Thank you for helping us all keep it in perspective. We owe you.