US chamber chairman talks oil woes, election on Alaska trip

KETCHIKAN, Alaska (AP) — The chairman of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce made a visit this week to Ketchikan, where he called on the presidential candidates from both major parties to focus on growth amid low oil prices.

Chairman John Hopkins spoke to the Greater Ketchikan Chamber of Commerce about topics including the global energy market and international trade.

At the end of his remarks to the Ketchikan chamber, Hopkins took questions from the audience about Alaska, which is struggling with a multibillion-dollar deficit brought on by low oil prices.