Kreiss-Tomkins leads Alaska governor race at 49.1 percent

Democratic candidate Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins held a 49.1 percent share of the vote in the Alaska gubernatorial race as of Thursday morning. Nearly all precincts had reported by that time. Republican challenger Bernadette Wilson trailed at 29.2 percent. Under the state’s ranked-choice voting system, Kreiss-Tomkins requires more than 50 percent of the vote to avoid a second round of voting. The race is too close to call as outstanding ballots continue to be counted.

Kreiss-Tomkins spent election night in Downtown Anchorage with a crowd of 350 family members, friends, and supporters. The former state representative from Sitka watched the results roll in from the city center. He said’s Hope McKenney on Wednesday afternoon that the team believes the outstanding ballots are coming from areas that favor his campaign. He stated that there is a decent chance the final tally will push north of 50 percent. Kreiss-Tomkins said his team has always aimed to crack the 50 percent mark in the first round to eliminate the need for ranking. He described his mood as cautiously optimistic.

National trends also influenced the local race. Democrats won races in historically conservative states and flipped control of Congress on election night. Kreiss-Tomkins noted that Alaskans may elect their first Democratic governor in more than two decades. He attributed part of the momentum to a national dissatisfaction with the current president and the general state of the country. However, he emphasized that the local campaign built a big tent that could win regardless of the national climate. He expects the final numbers to show fundamental strength in the local vote.

If elected, Kreiss-Tomkins plans to focus on public education and cost of living. He identified reinvesting in K-12 education and forward funding as top priorities. He also cited passing retirement benefits for teachers and public employees. He said both measures have broad legislative support but were frustrated by vetoes from Governor Mike Dunleavy in the last year. He also listed housing, energy, electricity, and childcare as key cost-of-living issues to tackle.

Kreiss-Tomkins credited his home base in Sitka for providing a critical foundation for his victory. He noted that approximately 66 to 67 percent of voters in Sitka supported him in the general election. He said that support in Sitka and the broader Southeast Alaska region was a key reason he won the primary, which featured 17 candidates. The strong showing in his home district was materially significant for his statewide primary success.

The candidate launched his campaign in the Sheet’ká Ḵwáan Naa Kahídi on February 4. He expressed deep personal gratitude to the community that supported him from that date through the general election. He said the support from home means the world to him personally. Kreiss-Tomkins stated that his community made him who he is and that he will not forget the support he received at every step of the campaign.