During this time, French authored an unsuccessful bill to strike down the state's same-sex marriage ban.

French was appointed to the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission by Governor Bill Walker in July 2016.

[4] In 2008, French was appointed by the Legislative Council to head an investigation into charges that Governor Sarah Palin "abused her office to get the Alaska public safety commissioner, Walt Monegan, fired.

[8] In September, Byron Mallott, the Democratic nominee for governor, merged his campaign with that of independent candidate Bill Walker.

[9] The Walker-Mallott ticket defeated that of incumbent Republican governor Sean Parnell and his running mate, Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan.