Alaska voters have chosen a Democrat for governor for the first time since 1998, adding the state to a broader midterm-election wave that delivered the party major gains in state governments nationwide.
Former state lawmaker Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins defeated three Republican candidates, including business owner Bernadette Wilson, who had been endorsed by President Trump.
His win gives Democrats control of the governor’s office in 30 states, including Iowa, Georgia, Ohio and Texas, where the party recently ended years of Republican dominance.
Kreiss-Tomkins, widely known as JKT, completed a political comeback three years after leaving the Alaska House.
He spent months traveling across the state to assemble a broad coalition, making affordability a central issue. He also campaigned for fully funded public schools and proposed requiring all oil and gas producers to pay the state corporate income tax.
He additionally called for a moratorium on new data centers until lawmakers establish rules governing their development.
Kreiss-Tomkins argued that Alaska had become “broken” during the eight years of outgoing Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s administration and needed a new direction. Among the problems he highlighted was the state ferry system, which he said had been left in disrepair as routes serving numerous communities were sharply reduced.
The ferry network is a vital transportation link for communities in Southeast Alaska that lack road connections and, in some cases, have limited air service.
At 37, Kreiss-Tomkins also stressed his willingness to work with both parties. He said his Cabinet would include Republicans, Democrats and independents.
“If they’re competent, if they’re service-minded, if they’re entrepreneurial, if they’re problem-solvers, you’re on the team. Game on,” he said at a candidate forum last month. “Let’s go, and let’s get Alaska back on track.”
Republican U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who has occasionally broken with her party and with Trump, endorsed Kreiss-Tomkins one week before Election Day.
Murkowski said he “understands that governing requires listening to people with different perspectives and finding common ground to solve the problems all of us face.”
Three former governors—Democrat Tony Knowles, independent Bill Walker and Republican Frank Murkowski, the senator’s father—also backed his campaign.
In a victory statement issued Friday, Kreiss-Tomkins said voters were seeking change and “a government that works across party lines to move Alaska forward.” He pledged that his administration would “not waste a single day getting to work to solve problems for Alaska” and said the campaign had attracted more than 10,000 donors.
His campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment after The Associated Press called the race.
He defeated Republicans Bernadette Wilson, Dave Bronson and Treg Taylor. Trump endorsed Wilson, a business owner, while criticizing Bronson and Taylor for remaining in the contest.
Bronson previously served as mayor of Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city. Taylor was the state attorney general under Dunleavy.
Bronson congratulated Kreiss-Tomkins on social media and wished him success. Wilson’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Many Republicans viewed Bronson as the party’s strongest chance of holding the governor’s office. That position contrasted with Trump’s repeated criticism of Alaska’s unusual voting system, including remarks he made at an October rally in the state.
Kreiss-Tomkins led the field in August’s open primary, with fellow Democrat Tom Begich finishing second. Begich later withdrew, saying his campaign had determined that the “strongest path to victory is to bring Democratic voters, donors and resources together behind one candidate.” Wilson placed third in the primary.
Kreiss-Tomkins has described compromise as “a virtue, not a dirty word” and said the next governor must work with lawmakers to address Alaska’s longstanding challenges.
Alaska’s last Democratic governor, Tony Knowles, left office in 2002 after serving two consecutive terms. Walker was governor from 2014 to 2018.
Kreiss-Tomkins will take office on Dec. 7. His lieutenant governor will be Zac Johnson, an independent.