Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins has won Alaska's governor's seat, marking the first time the party has captured the position in nearly three decades. The former Alaska state legislator defeated three Republican opponents, including a candidate endorsed by Donald Trump.
The victory, called by the Associated Press on Friday, 10 days after polls closed, increases the Democratic party's total to 30 US governorships. This follows a midterm election period that has seen Democrats gain control of governor's offices in several other long-time Republican strongholds, such as Iowa, Georgia, Ohio, and Texas.
Kreiss-Tomkins, aged 37, secured an outright victory by winning more than 50% of first-choice votes. His campaign focused on economic concerns, including tackling affordability, ensuring full funding for public education, and requiring oil and gas producers to pay corporate income taxes. He also proposed a temporary halt to new datacenter developments until state lawmakers establish regulations.
Throughout his campaign, Kreiss-Tomkins criticised the leadership of outgoing Republican governor Mike Dunleavy, arguing that Alaska had become "broken" during his eight years in office. He specifically highlighted the deterioration of the state's ferry system. Despite his criticisms, Kreiss-Tomkins pledged to assemble a cabinet that includes Democrats, Republicans, and independents.