Kreiss-Tomkins becomes first Alaska Democrat elected governor since 1998, AP projects

Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins won Alaska's governorship, becoming the first Democrat elected to the office by the state's voters since 1998.

The Associated Press called the race Friday evening. Kreiss-Tomkins, a former state representative from Sitka, secured a majority of first-choice votes, eliminating the need for ranked-choice tabulation rounds.

At the time of the AP call, Kreiss-Tomkins had 50.8% against 28.1% for Republican Bernadette Wilson, whom Trump endorsed, according to Newsweek. At 37, he will be Alaska's youngest governor.

Kreiss-Tomkins will succeed Gov. Mike Dunleavy, a Republican who has held the office since 2018 and is barred by term limits from another term. Declaring victory Friday, Kreiss-Tomkins said, "Alaskans voted for change and for a government that works across party lines to move Alaska forward," and said his administration would "not waste a single day getting to work to solve problems for Alaska."

Wilson, the runner-up, told the Alaska Beacon on Friday, "JKT was on top on election night, on top in the first round," and added, "He’s gonna be your governor." She said that despite deep disagreements, she was glad an Alaska-born candidate had been elected to lead the state.

Wilson said the presence of three Republicans in the contest reduced the support they received from GOP donors. "The reality is, the Republican Party, the donors, you know, all of the conservative groups, they had the ability to suck the oxygen out of the room, even if other candidates do not want to withdraw," she said.

President Donald Trump had backed Wilson, a business owner, and criticized the other Republicans for remaining in the contest. In Newsweek's tally, former Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson received 13.6%, while Treg Taylor, who served as attorney general under Dunleavy, got 7.7%.

Bronson congratulated Kreiss-Tomkins on social media, writing, "Alaskans have made their choice, and I respect their decision," and adding, "I wish him all the success."

Republican U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski endorsed Kreiss-Tomkins a week before the election, saying he "understands that governing requires listening to people with different perspectives and finding common ground to solve the problems all of us face." Three former governors also backed him: Democrat Tony Knowles, independent Bill Walker and Republican Frank Murkowski.

At a campaign debate, Kreiss-Tomkins earlier called himself a "man of the middle" and has said compromise "is a virtue, not a dirty word." His campaign platform included affordability, full funding for public schools and corporate income taxes for all oil and gas producers.

In a Nov. 2 Instagram post about riding a semi truck along the 520-mile Haul Road from Fairbanks to Prudhoe Bay, he wrote, "As governor, I’ll fight to keep our roads, like the Haul Road, maintained and safe so we can keep industry and commerce moving."

A post shared by Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins (@jktforak) on Instagram

Voters kept ranked-choice voting in place by rejecting a ballot measure that would have scrapped it.

Kreiss-Tomkins has said he wants Republicans, Democrats and independents in his Cabinet. At an October candidate forum, he said of potential appointees, "If they’re competent, if they’re service-minded, if they’re entrepreneurial, if they’re problem-solvers, you’re on the team. Game on."

He told AKPM Alaska Public Media in a Friday interview that he expected to begin naming appointees next week, after suggesting earlier that some Dunleavy administration commissioners might stay. He said he expects to propose a "moderate" Permanent Fund dividend and pursue a constitutional amendment to tighten limits on annual withdrawals from the fund.

A war-driven rise in oil prices could produce a state budget surplus in the hundreds of millions of dollars, according to Alaska Public Media. "I know what the famine cycle looks like because that basically described all 10 years I happened to be in the Legislature," Kreiss-Tomkins told AKPM Alaska Public Media.

His victory helps give Democrats 30 governorships nationwide, up from 24. Alaska officials plan to certify the unofficial results on Nov. 25.

Zac Johnson, an independent and former Alaska State Trooper, will serve as lieutenant governor and resign his Anchorage Assembly seat. Kreiss-Tomkins is scheduled to take the oath at noon on Dec. 7.