Democrats aim to unite behind one candidate in Alaska governor's race as they hope to flip the seat

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Democrat Tom Begich has withdrawn from Alaska's governor's race, throwing his support behind fellow Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins for a seat the party hopes to flip in November.

Begich finished just behind Kreiss-Tomkins in a crowded Aug. 18 primary that included 12 Republicans and some independents. Under Alaska's election system, the top four finishers, regardless of party, advance to the ranked-vote general election in November.

Monday was the final day for candidates to withdraw from the ballot. Begich's decision leaves Kreiss-Tomkins as the only Democrat on the ballot, giving the party an opportunity to elect Alaska's first Democratic governor in nearly 25 years.

Begich's campaign late Friday released a statement saying he and running mate Julia Hnilicka were suspending their campaign and endorsing Kreiss-Tomkins, who had finished with the most votes during the primary. The statement said the Begich campaign had raised more than $1.3 million but continuing would require millions more.

It also said that after reviewing internal data and data provided by Kreiss-Tomkins' campaign, Begich and Hnilicka concluded “that the strongest path to victory is to bring Democratic voters, donors and resources together behind one candidate.”

“Rather than competing over visions that share so much in common, we are choosing to put our strength behind a shared vision for Alaska," Begich said.

Alaska Democrats in ‘lockstep' as they try to regain the governor's office

Those priorities include full and stable funding for public education, addressing housing, health care and energy costs, and ensuring that Alaska receives a “fair share” from the development of its oil and gas resources. That generally means support of raising taxes on those industries.

Kreiss-Tomkins in a statement told Begich supporters he would make it his campaign's mission to earn their backing and champion those priorities.

“To hell with political infighting," he said. “Let’s build a future made in Alaska.”

The Alaska Democratic Party said state Democrats are in “lockstep” and intend to win. The last Democrat to serve as governor in Alaska was Tony Knowles, who served consecutive terms from 1994 to 2002.

A Division of Elections spokesperson confirmed Begich had withdrawn.

Which candidate will fill final slot remains up in the air

The highest-finishing Republicans in the primary were Bernadette Wilson, a conservative activist and business owner, and Dave Bronson, a former mayor of Anchorage, Alaska's largest city. Messages seeking comment from the Wilson and Bronson campaigns were not immediately returned Monday. An email seeking comment also was sent to the chairperson of the state Republican Party.

Who would fill the fourth slot in the governor's race following Begich's withdrawal was in question.

Treg Taylor, a former state attorney general, finished fifth in the vote tally. But Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom, a fellow Republican, decertified his candidacy Monday after the state's campaign finance commission recommended that step. The commission found that Taylor did not “substantially comply” with financial disclosure requirements. His campaign did not respond to a message seeking comment.

Alaska's current governor, Republican Mike Dunleavy, is barred by term limits from seeking a third consecutive term.

Republicans could try to use ranked-choice system to their advantage

Begich is part of an Alaska political family long known for its Democratic Party ties. His father, the late U.S. Rep. Nick Begich, was declared dead after a small plane he was riding in with then-House Majority Leader Hale Boggs disappeared during a 1972 campaign trip in Alaska. His brother, Mark Begich, served one term in the U.S. Senate.

Tom Begich was known during his time in the state Legislature for a willingness to work across party lines.

His nephew, also named Nick Begich, is a Republican and the state's only U.S. House member. He is seeking a second term this year and has endorsed Wilson in the governor's race.

Nick Begich said on social media that while he thinks Republicans should rally behind Wilson to increase their chances of winning, he would rank any other Republican who remains in the race. He said he's not a fan of ranked voting but said “we must currently work within it in order to keep Alaska’s recent momentum going strong.”

Supporters of ranked-choice voting say it addresses the so-called spoiler effect, in which candidates with similar views split the vote, because voters can rank candidates in order of preference. But not all voters in Alaska rank candidates or mark favorites beyond their first choice.

Alaska began using open primaries and ranked-vote general elections in 2022. It is not unusual for top-four primary finishers to drop out to support the highest vote-getter.

Also Monday, the final slot for the U.S. House general election was filled when Democrat John Williams advanced. That race is headlined by Nick Begich and independent Bill Hill. A Democrat with no apparent ties to Alaska, who is serving time in a federal prison in New York, also advanced.