JKT Kreiss-Tomkins to become Alaska's youngest governor
The 37-year-old Democrat defeated three Republican opponents, including a Trump-backed candidate, to end a 24-year GOP hold on the state's top post.
By Jillian Foster ·
Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins secured the governorship of Alaska on November 13, according to an Associated Press race call. The 37-year-old Democrat will replace Republican Mike Dunleavy, who leaves office after serving two terms. Kreiss-Tomkins is set to become the youngest person to lead the state.
The victory breaks a long political streak. Tony Knowles, who left office in 2002, was the last Democrat to hold the governor's seat. Kreiss-Tomkins, a former state representative from Sitka, won under Alaska's ranked-choice voting system. He faced three Republican opponents: Bernadette Wilson, Dave Bronson, and Treg Taylor. Wilson received the endorsement of President Donald Trump. A majority of the vote was required to win, and the count included ballots from remote areas and mail-in votes.
Kreiss-Tomkins campaigned on a message of bipartisan cooperation. He described himself as a "man of the middle" during a recent debate and pledged to build an administration that includes Democrats, Republicans, and independents. His ticket drew support from three former governors and Senator Lisa Murkowski, a Republican. In an interview at an Anchorage precinct on Election Day, he stated that Alaskans were tired of zero-sum partisan politics.
"I strongly believe people just want things to work, and want people to work together," Kreiss-Tomkins said.
Voters also decided the fate of the state's voting method on the same ballot. A proposal to scrap ranked-choice voting failed, keeping the current system in place. With this win, Democrats will control 30 governor's offices nationwide, an increase from the 24 they currently hold.
The new governor will take charge of a state facing economic pressure. School closures and larger class sizes have resulted from rising costs and flat funding. Prices for food, fuel, and housing have climbed sharply. A looming shortage of accessible natural gas near population centers threatens to drive prices even higher. Alaskans have been moving out of the state for more than a decade.
Kreiss-Tomkins is scheduled to take office at noon on December 7.
