FACTS
Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins won the Alaska governor race after topping 50% of first-choice votes, and two of his Republican opponents conceded on Friday, Nov. 13. The Associated Press called the race Friday. Kreiss-Tomkins, 37, a former state representative from Sitka, will succeed Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy, who is term-limited.
Alaska governor race results
Kreiss-Tomkins had more than 50% of first-choice votes in results the Alaska Division of Elections posted Thursday night, Nov. 12, above the threshold that would have required a ranked-choice tabulation, the Alaska Beacon reported. Of the 256,823 first-choice votes counted by the end of Thursday, Republican Bernadette Wilson had 28.7%, Republican Dave Bronson had 13.7% and Republican Treg Taylor had 7.3%, according to the Beacon.
CNN declared Kreiss-Tomkins the winner Thursday night, and the AP called the race Friday, according to the Beacon and The Associated Press. The Division of Elections is scheduled to certify the results on Nov. 25, the Beacon reported.
Kreiss-Tomkins was the only Democrat in a field of four. Wilson, a business owner, was endorsed by President Donald Trump. Bronson is a former mayor of Anchorage, and Taylor served as state attorney general under Dunleavy, the AP reported. Democrat Tom Begich, who finished second in the August primary, withdrew so that one Democrat would be on the November ballot, according to the AP.
Republican opponents concede
“Congratulations to Governor-elect Kreiss-Tomkins on winning the Alaska governor’s race with a majority of the vote,” Bronson said, according to the Alaska Beacon. “Alaskans have made their choice, and I respect their decision.”
Wilson told the Beacon by phone Friday that the result was not a surprise, though she was disappointed. “JKT was on top on election night, on top in the first round. He’s gonna be your governor,” she said, using the initials Kreiss-Tomkins goes by.
The Beacon’s report did not include a statement from Taylor.
What Kreiss-Tomkins says he will do
In a statement Friday, Kreiss-Tomkins said, “Alaskans voted for change and for a government that works across party lines to move Alaska forward,” according to The Washington Post, in a story published by The Spokesman-Review. “Our administration will not waste a single day getting to work to solve problems for Alaska,” he said, the AP reported.
He campaigned on improving the state’s schools, lowering energy costs and protecting Medicaid, the Post reported, and he won endorsements from Republicans and independents, including Republican U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski. He has said compromise “is a virtue, not a dirty word,” according to the AP, and has said he plans an administration of Democrats, Republicans and independents, Alaska Public Media reported.
“We’re thinking about the budget next year, we’re thinking about building an administration,” he told the Beacon. “There’s a lot to do, and we’re excited to get to work with an obsessive, problem-solving energy.” He expects to name members of his transition team early next week, and a draft state budget is due by law on Dec. 15, the Beacon reported.
Inauguration and history
Kreiss-Tomkins will be sworn in at noon on Monday, Dec. 7, as required by the state constitution, the Beacon reported; the location has not been chosen. His lieutenant governor will be Zac Johnson, an independent, according to the AP.
At 37, he will be the youngest governor in Alaska’s history, the Beacon and The Washington Post reported. He will be the first Democrat elected governor since 1998, the AP reported. The state’s last Democratic governor, Tony Knowles, left office in 2002, and Bill Walker served from 2014 to 2018. Dunleavy has been governor since 2018.
Alaska’s U.S. Senate race still being counted
Alaska’s U.S. Senate race between Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan and Democrat Mary Peltola, a former congresswoman, has not been called. As of Friday, Peltola had 49.2% and Sullivan had 47%, with about 91.3% of ballots counted, USA Today reported. Because no candidate has more than 50%, a ranked-choice tabulation is set to begin Nov. 18, according to USA Today.
More coverage is in the Stay Current News Politics section.
