JKT Campaign Blimp Leaves Anchorage Sky, but Its Cost Remains a Mystery

Democrat Jonathan Kreiss Tomkins, known as JKT, is on track to win the Alaska governor’s race, but his campaign has left one logistical question unanswered: the cost of the white blimp that hovered over Anchorage with his name in blue letters. On Tuesday night, the airship was brought down and secured with ropes outside the Broken Blender, a downtown bar hosting the candidate’s victory celebration.

The blimp, manufactured by start-up Buoyant Aero, was a rare sight in the state. The company, co-founded by Ben Claman and Albie Brown, describes its aircraft as zero-emissions and automated. Claman, a graduate of West Anchorage High School, said the craft had no connection to AI company Anthropic, a claim confirmed by an Anthropic spokeswoman who replied to an email inquiry with the words, "Correct - no involvement." Brown, who is not from Alaska, recalled Claman warning him about the local landscape, saying, "He was like, 'You just have to understand just how crazy this is. We don't even have billboards in Alaska.'"

The appearance of the blimp coincided with the 100th anniversary of the Norge, the famous airship that landed in Western Alaska in 1926. Unlike the historic Norge, the JKT airship had ties to the Silicon Valley tech world through its backing by Y Combinator. Former Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson, a Republican candidate who lost the race, described the aerial display as "kind of weird" and "kind of ostentatious" during a phone interview on Election Day.

When reporters asked the founders for a price estimate, the pair declined to provide a number, suggesting a future call to discuss the details. A spokesperson for Kreiss-Tomkins issued an 82-word statement on Wednesday, noting that the blimp was funded by specific supporters. The statement said a cost breakdown is not yet available but will be included in the campaign’s finance filing in February. The spokesperson added that the airship was a creative way to reach voters and generate excitement.

The blimp has not yet been moved from its location outside the Broken Blender. Campaign finance records will eventually reveal the exact expenditure, but for now, the airship remains a visible part of the transition. Kreiss-Tomkins, when asked about the blimp’s future plans at the party, smiled before his spokesperson intervened to say the matter is currently under discussion.

The campaign’s decision to use an airship marks a departure from traditional Alaska campaign tactics, which rarely involve aerial advertising. The next step for the campaign is the official filing of financial documents in February, which will detail the specific amount raised and spent on the blimp project.