Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins has won the Alaska governor’s race, ending 24 years of Republican control of the governor’s office and delivering a historic victory for Democrats in a state that has traditionally supported Republicans in national elections.
The Associated Press projected Kreiss-Tomkins as the winner on November 13, defeating a field of Republican candidates that included Bernadette Wilson, who received an endorsement from Donald Trump.
At 37, Kreiss-Tomkins will become the youngest governor in Alaska history. He will also become the first Democrat elected governor of the state since Tony Knowles won reelection in 1998.
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According to Alaska’s News Source, Kreiss-Tomkins had received 139,293 votes, representing approximately 50.81% of ballots counted. Wilson trailed with 77,110 votes. The results remain unofficial until the state completes its certification process.
The victory represents a significant change in Alaska’s political leadership, particularly as Democrats have made gains in several states during the 2026 midterm elections.
Alaska has not elected a Democratic governor in nearly three decades. Although former Republican Gov. Bill Walker served as an independent from 2014 to 2018, Republicans have otherwise controlled the office since 2002.
Kreiss-Tomkins previously served in the Alaska House of Representatives, where he built a political career focused on state government, public policy and issues affecting Alaska’s communities.
His campaign also received support from Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski, whose endorsement demonstrated that the race did not follow traditional party lines. Murkowski has frequently taken positions independent of national Republican leadership, including on issues involving Trump.
The endorsement was particularly notable because Alaska has a history of candidates attracting support across party affiliations. The state’s political landscape includes a substantial number of voters who are not registered with either major party.
Alaska also uses a distinctive election system in which all candidates compete in a single primary, with the top four advancing to the general election regardless of party affiliation. In the general election, voters rank candidates by preference.
Under ranked choice voting, a candidate who receives more than 50% of first-choice votes wins outright. Otherwise, the lowest-performing candidate is eliminated, and those ballots are redistributed according to voters’ next available preferences until someone receives a majority.
Kreiss-Tomkins’ reported vote share placed him above that majority threshold in the latest count.
The governor-elect will inherit responsibility for managing Alaska’s state budget, public education system, transportation infrastructure and policies involving the state’s extensive oil and natural gas resources.
Energy production remains central to Alaska’s economy, with revenue from oil development helping finance state government operations. Decisions about resource development, environmental protections and state spending will be among the issues facing the incoming administration.
The election also places a Democrat in charge of the state’s executive branch at a time when national debates over federal spending, energy policy and the relationship between state governments and Washington remain prominent.
For Alaska residents, the governor’s office plays a major role in determining education funding, public services and the administration of the Permanent Fund Dividend, the annual payment eligible residents receive from investment earnings tied to the state’s oil wealth.
Kreiss-Tomkins is scheduled to take office December 7, following certification of the election results.
Kreiss-Tomkins has also identified public education, lower energy costs and Medicaid protections as priorities for his administration. According to the Associated Press, he supports requiring oil and gas producers to pay corporate income taxes and has proposed temporarily halting new data center development until regulations are established.
His administration will work with bipartisan legislative coalitions that include Democrats, Republicans and independents. Those relationships could influence negotiations over the state budget and education funding.
Kreiss-Tomkins will also take office alongside independent Lt. Gov. Zac Johnson.
The next major step comes November 18, when Alaska election officials expect to complete the remaining ballot count. The state is scheduled to certify the results November 25.
The incoming governor will then face an immediate deadline. Alaska law requires a proposed state budget by December 15, just eight days after his inauguration.
Kreiss-Tomkins’ victory gives Democrats control of 30 governor’s offices nationwide, according to the Associated Press, following a midterm election in which the party also captured governorships in several states previously controlled by Republicans.
