Politics & Campaigns
RSSAlaska News tracks coverage of state and federal political campaigns, including gubernatorial and Senate races, candidate positions on issues like the PFD.
Alaskans vote today in a primary narrowing the governor, Senate and House races
Alaskans vote today in a primary narrowing crowded races for governor, Senate and House to four each — 17 governor tickets, two Dan Sullivans on the ballot.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min readAI
First Election Day Tapes from two statistically significant Anchorage precincts put Kreiss-Tomkins and Begich ahead of the field
All of our analysis these were the precinct that most closely aligned with statewide results, so Alaska news went out to get that information. This is not the statewide results.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min readAI
The NRA gives Begich an F and three Republican tickets A+
The NRA's political arm gave the ticket of leading Alaska governor candidate Tom Begich an F and three Republican tickets A+ in its new primary grades.
by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min readAI
Alaska primary: who advanced and what passed, in unofficial results
Peltola and Sullivan head to November, Begich leads the House field, four of 17 governor tickets advance, and donation caps passed with 71%
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min readAI
Mayor LaFrance faces a campaign-finance hearing over her 2024 expenditure reports
Anchorage Mayor Suzanne LaFrance faces an APOC hearing Wednesday over how her 2024 campaign reported spending. A resident alleges 89 flawed reports.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago1 min readAI
The AI money came first. The data center moratorium came Thursday.
Days after AI money turned up in his filings, Kreiss-Tomkins called for a data center moratorium — one a governor has no power to directly impose.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min readAI
Super PACs report nearly $1 million in Alaska Senate spending on a single day
Three super PACs spent nearly $1 million in a single day on Alaska's U.S. Senate race, with groups backing Sullivan and opposing Peltola dominating the spending 12 days before the Aug. 18 primary.
by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min readAI
Dan Sullivan endorsed Dan Sullivan over Dan Sullivan in Alaska's Senate race
Former Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan endorsed Sen. Dan Sullivan in a race that also features Daniel Sullivan Jr. He signed it "the OG Dan Sullivan."
by Walter AlaskaNews4d ago2 min read
A retired Wasilla man is spending $11,000 to oppose a candidate for governor
A retired Wasilla man is spending about $11,000 to oppose gubernatorial candidate Bernadette Wilson before Tuesday's primary. No law caps the total.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 1w ago1 min readAI
The sleeper on Alaska's August primary ballot: money, turnout and Measure 1
Alaska campaign donations currently have one limit: your imagination. Ballot Measure 1 would add a second — $2,000. Voters decide at the Aug. 18 primary.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min readAI
Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Peter Micciche files to run again
Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Peter Micciche, a former Soldotna mayor and state Senate President, filed to run for another term ahead of the Nov. 3 election.
by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min readAI
One donor supplied 99 percent of the non-individual money behind Alaska's ranked choice repeal
Aurora Action Network gave $1.83 million to Alaska's ranked-choice repeal campaign, over 99 percent of its non-individual funding, but the group's true funding sources don't appear in public records.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago3 min readAI
Alaska AG voids contested Area M salmon regulations after ethics challenge
Alaska attorney general voided five salmon regulations after board members failed to disclose conflicts of interest. • Fishing groups won relief through ethics enforcement instead of court. • Regulations would have restricted fishing time and added chinook catch closures. • Board must restart the process to readopt any rules.
by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago3 min readAI
Peltola out-raised and out-spent Sullivan, and enters the general election with less cash
Peltola and Sullivan both advanced from Alaska's primary and will meet in November's ranked-choice general. Peltola raised more; Sullivan has more cash on hand.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min readAI
Alaska ballot measure to restore campaign contribution limits heads to August 18 primary
Alaska voters will decide August 18 whether to restore campaign contribution limits for state and local races, but voter registration closes July 19.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min readAI
Peltola campaign launches salmon video game attacking Sullivan over trawling
Mary Peltola's campaign built a browser game where you play a salmon dodging trawler nets. Subtle it is not.
by Bill AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min readAI
Alaska AFL-CIO endorsed Peltola for Senate and Hill for House Wednesday
Alaska AFL-CIO endorsed Peltola and Hill. The federation traditionally goes Democratic. The other side wasn't asked.
by Alaska Newsadded 2mo ago2 min readAI
McGuire campaign says Sara Rasmussen will replace Elizabeth Rexford as lieutenant governor running mate
Alaska's deadline could have thinned its 17-way governor race. It barely did: the GOP field stayed packed, and the headline move was just a McGuire running-mate swap.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min readAI
Alaska's Senate race is on pace to shatter spending records — before a primary that decides nothing
Both certain to advance, Sullivan and Peltola are already spending at a record pace — because Alaska's seat could decide control of the U.S. Senate.
by Bill AlaskaNews3w ago2 min readAI
Boyle files to challenge Holland in high-turnout South Anchorage House Seat.
South Anchorage comes out to vote. Holland and Boyle have until November to make their case.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min readAI
Murkowski says she will vote against Blanche for attorney general
Sen. Lisa Murkowski will vote against Todd Blanche for attorney general, citing politicization of the Justice Department and concerns about a nearly 2 billion dollar fund.
by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min readAI
Bill Walker is backing away from his plan to end the PFD, weeks after proposing it
Weeks after proposing a one-time $10,000 payout to end the PFD, candidate Bill Walker is walking it back, now promising a plan that "strengthens" the dividend instead.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago3 min readAI
Money floods a dead-even Alaska Senate race
Alaska's U.S. Senate race is awash in unprecedented money — some $30 million — as Sullivan and Peltola run dead even ahead of the Aug. 18 primary.
by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min readAI
Peltola posts a record $7 million quarter in the Alaska Senate race
Peltola posted a record $7M quarter in the Alaska Senate race — a real haul, but Sullivan holds more cash on hand, his Q2 number isn't in yet, and outside money will dwarf both.
by Maggie AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min readAI
A new group formed to back Tom Begich for governor, days before the primary
A new independent group formed to back Tom Begich's run for governor, eight days before Alaska's primary. It hasn't yet reported raising or spending anything.
by Walter AlaskaNewsadded 1w ago1 min readAI
Two Assembly members want Martinez out. The removal law may not reach him
Two members want Martinez gone over APOC fines. The removal law they're trying to use might not be a fit, and the math to carry it out would be an uphill battle.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago4 min readAI
Blanche brought Alaska $180 million. He may need Murkowski's vote.
Todd Blanche handed Anchorage the biggest settlement in its history this month. Now he needs Senate votes, and Murkowski hasn't said where she stands.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min readAI
APOC fines George Martinez after campaign-paid flight to Florida
Oh goodness... I guess campaign finance laws were made for a reason.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min readAI
Pollock fleet holds an Anchorage job fair days before a bycatch-shaped election
Days before the final vote, the Bering Sea pollock fleet holds an Anchorage job fair — as salmon bycatch, and a new mandatory chum cap, roil the 2026 campaign.
by Bill AlaskaNews3w ago3 min readAI
Von Imhof Launches Anchorage Mayoral Bid With 'Fix and Grow' Platform
Former state senator Natasha Von Imhof launched a campaign for Anchorage mayor against incumbent Suzanne LaFrance. The election is scheduled for April 6, 2027.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min readAI
Most political money reported before Alaska's primary is aimed at a November ballot measure
The big independent-spending reports before Alaska's primary are mostly not about Tuesday. Most of the money is for November's ranked-choice repeal fight.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min readAI
A progressive firm's Alaska poll: two-thirds worry about the basics, and a simulated Senate race favors Peltola
A progressive firm's Alaska poll finds two-thirds of voters worried about affording the basics, and a modeled Senate race favoring Peltola over Sullivan.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min readAI
Sullivan voted against every Iran war powers resolution this year — a record now drawing outside money before the primary
Sullivan voted against all 13 Iran war powers resolutions this year — a common GOP vote, now drawing outside money for and against him before the primary.
by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min readAI
Sullivan ad misleads on Peltola's military vote, fact-checkers find, as Senate race tightens
FactCheck.org found Sullivan's ads misleadingly claim Peltola opposed military pay raises, though she voted for the final defense bill with a 5.2% raise. The Senate race is now a toss-up.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min readAI
A pro-Republican group discloses small ad debts for two House candidates, listing the creditor at its treasurer's address
A pro-Republican group's pre-primary filing disclosed $728 in ad debts for two House candidates, listing the creditor at its treasurer's own address.
by Lucas Brown1w ago2 min readAI
Claman's exit narrows the Democratic field in Alaska's wide-open governor race
Alaska's 17-candidate governor scrum got a deadline to shrink. It shrank by one Democrat — while a dozen Republicans eyed each other and nobody blinked.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min readAI
Peltola's first general election ad, out a day after the primary, runs against her own party.
The day after advancing from the primary, Peltola's campaign announced a TV ad about breaking with Democrats, citing her low party loyalty as a credential.
by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min readAI
Outside money keeps flowing into the Alaska Senate race — mostly against Sullivan
Outside groups poured another $210,000 into the Alaska Senate race this week, mostly against Sullivan — the latest in a year where Peltola leads the money flow but Sullivan holds other edges.
by Walter AlaskaNews4w ago2 min readAI
Alaska House passes campaign contribution limits that could take effect during 2026 election
Alaska House passed a bill to restore campaign donation limits of 2,000 dollars per donor per candidate. • The bill takes effect 90 days after the governor acts, likely before November 2026 election. • Governor can sign, veto, or do nothing. Inaction lets the bill become law. • Opponents say it restricts speech and will likely face lawsuit.
by Walter AlaskaNews3mo ago2 min readAI
A Chamber endorsement for Begich, labor's backing for Hill
Nick Begich's campaign says he's won the U.S. Chamber's endorsement, days after Speaker Johnson visited; challenger Bill Hill has the state AFL-CIO's backing.
by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago1 min readAI
