Alaska Advances Candidates for Governor in Primary Election

In Alaska's primary election held on August 18, 2026, seventeen pairs of governor-lieutenant governor candidates competed to advance to the general election. Former state Representative Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins and his running mate Zac Johnson secured first place, while former Democratic state Senator Tom Begich and Julia Hnilicks finished second. They will join two additional winning pairs in the November general election. Among the 34 candidates on the ballot were notable political figures, including business owner Bernadette Wilson and Republican Michael Loren Gilbert. The state employs a ranked-choice voting system in its general elections, allowing voters to rank candidates by preference, with votes redistributed as lower-performing candidates are eliminated. The election follows the term-limited tenure of Republican Governor Michael Dunleavy, creating an opportunity for Democrats like Begich to potentially gain control of the governor's office.