Democrat Kreiss-Tomkins wins Alaska governor's race
He cleared 50% of first-choice votes, so no ranked-choice count is needed. Both Republican rivals have acknowledged the result.
Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, a former state legislator, has won Alaska's Nov. 3 race for governor. He cleared half of the first-choice votes, which spares the state the ranked-choice tabulation that was set for Nov. 18.
Republican Bernadette Wilson, the candidate Donald Trump had endorsed, conceded Friday. Dave Bronson, the Republican mayor of Anchorage, congratulated the winner. Results remain unofficial until the state certifies them.
At 37, Kreiss-Tomkins will be the youngest governor Alaska has had. The Democratic Governors Association calls him the first Democrat to win the office in 28 years. Its chair, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, said the winner "built a broad, cross-partisan coalition of voters."
The association also says Forward Frontier for JKT, the committee backing his campaign, spent more than $5 million on advertising.
Since 2022, Alaska has used an open primary and ranked-choice voting. The top four finishers advance to the general election, and if no one tops half the votes, the last-place candidates are dropped one by one until someone does. The first round was enough this time, even with three significant Republicans on the ballot.
The result flips a state Trump carried in the presidential race. Governors have a say in immigration, energy and fisheries policy.
Tony Knowles was Alaska's last Democratic governor, leaving office in 2002. Kreiss-Tomkins would take office Dec. 7.
