Bernadette Wilson to Newsmax: A Democratic Alaska Would Be 'a Barrier' to Progress

Alaskan GOP Candidate Urges Party Unity to Beat Democratic Challenger

Anchorage, Alaska – Republican gubernatorial hopeful Bernadette Wilson, a local garbage‑services business owner, called on voters in the state’s primary to support her and the other two Republican candidates in a ranked‑choice ballot. She warned that a fragmented vote could enable Democrat Jonathan Kreiss‑Tomkins to win the governorship.

Wilson, who is running in a crowded Republican field that includes former state legislator Doug Jones and Anchorage mayoral candidate Tyler Johnson, spoke with Newsmax on Saturday. In the interview she emphasized the importance of the Alaska Public Ballot Initiative, which allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference. “If we split the Republican vote, we give the Democrats a chance to take the office,” Wilson said.

She urged voters to list her first, followed by the other Republicans in any order that best reflects their preference. “We need to keep the Democrats out of this race, and the only way to do that is to consolidate our support behind one or two candidates,” Wilson explained.

The Alaska primary is scheduled for November 4, with the general election set for the same day. In the Democratic column, Jonathan Kreiss‑Tomkins, a former state senator, faces a strong challenge from former governor and former U.S. congressman Bill Walker, who has shifted his allegiance to the Democratic Party in a surprising move.

Wilson’s comments come amid growing concern among Republican strategists that the party’s many candidates could dilute their share of the primary vote, potentially allowing a Democrat to carry the state. “Alaska is a Republican‑leaning state, but the margin is thin in this year’s race,” said a Republican campaign consultant. “We need to unite.”

Kreiss‑Tomkins, who has long advocated for increased state revenue through natural‑resource development, said he remains focused on a platform that includes expanding education funding and improving infrastructure. He has also criticized the current Republican leadership for not being “sufficiently progressive” on climate change.

The state’s ranked‑choice system means that if no candidate wins an outright majority of first‑choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and their ballots are redistributed based on second choices. This process continues until a candidate secures a majority. Critics argue that the system can disadvantage third‑party and independent candidates, while supporters say it encourages broader coalition building.

In Anchorage, where Wilson’s garbage company has operated for more than 20 years, voters are already gearing up for the primary. Polling stations will offer the option to rank candidates, a first for Alaska’s gubernatorial elections. “The public has to understand how this works,” Wilson said. “We want to make sure that every Republican vote counts.”

The debate over how to best support a Republican victory is heating up as the primaries draw closer. Whether Wilson’s call for unity will shift voter strategy remains to be seen, but the stakes are clear: the outcome will determine whether Alaska remains under Republican leadership or swings toward a Democratic governor for the first time in decades.