In a significant shake-up of Alaska’s gubernatorial contest, former state Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins and his running mate Zac Johnson have emerged victorious in a crowded primary, topping a ranked-choice voting slugfest that saw 17 candidate pairs vying for advancement to the November general election. This unexpected win positions Kreiss-Tomkins and Johnson against former Democratic state Sen. Tom Begich and Julia Hnilicks, who secured the second spot. The race, designed to succeed term-limited Republican Gov. Michael Dunleavy, featured a host of major political figures and dynastic names, including the historically influential Begich family, with Tom Begich’s lineage deeply entwined in Alaska politics. Also contending were prominent Republicans like business owner Bernadette Wilson and former Anchorage Mayor David Bronson, alongside candidates from storied Alaskan families like the Hickels. The primary’s outcome underscores the unique and often unpredictable nature of Alaska’s ranked-choice voting system, which redistributes votes as candidates are eliminated, potentially creating voter ‘traps’ and rerouting traditional political advantages as the state heads into a general election with the potential to flip the governor’s mansion.
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