A Democratic upset is brewing in Alaska’s governor’s race as Trump’s popularity craters

Democrats in Alaska see a rare chance to win the governorship, and the man leading their effort is Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, a 37-year-old former state representative from Sitka. Democrats have been shut out of the office for close to a generation. His edge comes as Donald Trump's approval in the state has fallen sharply, a swing of 21 to 22 points net, only two years after he carried Alaska by 13 points, according to The Guardian.

Kreiss-Tomkins placed first in the August nonpartisan primary. Under ranked-choice rules voters approved in 2020, four finalists advance and voters rank them in November. An AARP survey conducted across party lines gave him 40% of first-choice votes, versus a combined 41% for Republicans Bernadette Wilson, Dave Bronson and Treg Taylor. Outgoing Republican Governor Mike Dunleavy is unpopular, largely because he never delivered a bigger oil-dividend payout.

Kreiss-Tomkins has campaigned in person, including a four-day, 450-mile boat trip along the Yukon River that took him through 11 small villages. Analyst Larry Persily credits the candidate's campaign and the weakness of his rivals rather than Trump.

Summarized by PolitiKool from The Guardian’s reporting. Read the full story at The Guardian →