Gara is also a former assistant attorney general and part owner of a local restaurant in Anchorage, Snow City Cafe.

[1] Gara graduated from Boston University in 1985 with a Bachelor of Arts in history.

He has criticized incumbent governor Mike Dunleavy for cutting funding for public education at the University of Alaska system.

He supports "responsible development" of oil and has vowed to improve energy efficiency standards and address climate change,[1] while opposing construction of Pebble Mine to protect fisheries.

[5] Media related to Les Gara at Wikimedia Commons