--- title: "Kreiss-Tomkins vs. Wilson: 2026 Alaska governor’s race" url: "https://www.2026election.com/race/2026-governor-ak" updated: "2026-10-09" source: "Candidates' campaign sites and Ballotpedia, quoted verbatim" publisher: "Pluribus" --- # 2026 Alaska governor’s race: Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins (D) vs. Bernadette Wilson (R) Rating: Toss-up · Election: November 3, 2026 · Ballot checked: October 9, 2026 · Positions captured: October 9, 2026 The 2026 Alaska gubernatorial election features Democratic candidate Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, a former state representative from Sitka, facing Republican candidate Bernadette Wilson, a business owner and conservative activist, in the November general election. The matchup hinges on contrasting approaches to state education funding, the statutory Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) formula, resource development projects, and state utility regulation. ## Candidates - **Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins** (Democrat) · [Campaign site](https://www.jktforak.com/) · [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Jonathan_S._Kreiss-Tomkins) - **Bernadette Wilson** (Republican) · [Campaign site](http://www.bernadetteforgovernor.com/) · [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Bernadette_Wilson) ## Issues ### Public education Salience: high Kreiss-Tomkins seeks to fully fund public schools and constitutionally forward-fund education, while Wilson opposes Base Student Allocation increases and promotes school choice models like Educational Savings Accounts. **Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins:** Supports increased funding and forward-funding Kreiss-Tomkins advocates for fully funding public education, forward-funding school districts through a constitutional amendment to prevent annual lay-off cycles, raising teacher compensation, and restoring a defined benefit retirement system. - Pass a constitutional amendment to forward-fund public education. - Increase teacher compensation and restore defined benefit retirement pensions. - Remove cell phones from classrooms and fund electives and sports programs. > “First things first: fund our schools—and keep them open. I'll also pass a constitutional amendment to forward-fund education.” > — Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Jonathan_S._Kreiss-Tomkins) **Bernadette Wilson:** Opposes BSA increases and supports school choice Wilson opposes legislative increases to the Base Student Allocation (BSA), criticizing it as an arbitrary metric unlinked to performance outcomes, and advocates for school choice initiatives such as Educational Savings Accounts and Backpack Funding. - Oppose arbitrary increases to the Base Student Allocation (BSA). - Implement Educational Savings Accounts and Backpack Funding models. - Introduce transparency and accountability to elevate reading and math rankings. > “Members of our state legislature continue to support an arbitrary increase in the Base Student Allocation (BSA)- a number no one can clearly explain, justify, or tie to measurable outcomes, but leads to Alaska being in the top five highest per-pupil spending states in the country.” > — Bernadette Wilson, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Bernadette_Wilson) ### Permanent Fund Dividend & Fiscal Policy Salience: high Wilson demands strict adherence to the statutory formula for full PFD payouts to residents, whereas Kreiss-Tomkins prioritizes constitutional safeguards against fund overspending and corporate tax enforcement on oil producers. **Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins:** Supports constitutional protection and taxing oil companies Kreiss-Tomkins proposes constitutionally protecting the Permanent Fund principal from overspending and balancing the state budget by closing tax loopholes so all oil and gas producers, including Hilcorp, pay corporate income taxes. - Constitutionally protect the full Permanent Fund from legislative overspending. - Require all oil and gas producers, such as Hilcorp, to pay state corporate income tax. - Avoid spending state funds on glitzy megaprojects. > “Make the Permanent Fund permanent: ensure that the entirety of the Permanent Fund is constitutionally protected from overspending so that the fund will grow and benefit future generations of Alaskans.” > — Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Jonathan_S._Kreiss-Tomkins) **Bernadette Wilson:** Demands paying statutory PFD formula Wilson views Alaskans as shareholders entitled to wealth generated by natural resources and demands strict enforcement of the statutory PFD payout formula, arguing lawmakers have unlawfully withheld thousands from residents. - Enforce the full statutory PFD payout formula mandated by law. - Hold elected officials accountable for diverting dividend funds to other spending. - Increase transparency regarding legislative spending packages. > “The Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) is not a welfare or entitlement program; it is a dividend, established by law, to be distributed according to a statutory formula.” > — Bernadette Wilson, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Bernadette_Wilson) ### Energy & Resource Development Salience: high Wilson pushes for immediate construction of mega-projects like Willow, ANWR, and AKLNG, while Kreiss-Tomkins focuses on utility coordination, renewable integration, and preventing ratepayer-subsidized redundant infrastructure. **Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins:** Supports all-of-the-above energy and utility coordination Kreiss-Tomkins supports an all-of-the-above energy strategy encompassing natural gas, hydro, and renewables, while requiring Railbelt utilities to cooperate, opening the grid to independent power producers, and opposing a second Cook Inlet LNG import terminal. - Require four Railbelt utilities to coordinate infrastructure to lower electric rates. - Support an all-of-the-above mix including renewables, hydro, and natural gas. - Prevent ratepayer funding of a second Cook Inlet LNG import terminal. > “Support development of all energy sources — renewables, hydro, natural gas — to lower utility bills for Alaskans.” > — Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, via [Campaign site](https://www.jktforak.com/) **Bernadette Wilson:** Supports aggressive resource extraction and major projects Wilson advocates for aggressive development of Alaska's natural resources, pledging immediate state support for major oil, gas, mineral, and access projects including AKLNG, ANWR, Willow, NPRA, and Ambler Road. - Pledge active support for resource extraction in Willow, NPRA, ANWR, and AKLNG. - Build resource access infrastructure such as Ambler Road, West Susitna, and King Cove. - Capitalize on state oil and mineral wealth to spur regional growth. > “Action will replace talk, and whether it’s AKLNG, NPRA, ANWR, or Willow, Ambler Road, West Susitna, King Cove, or beyond, we will develop and we will build.” > — Bernadette Wilson, via [Campaign site](http://www.bernadetteforgovernor.com/) ### Government Reform & Electoral System Salience: medium Wilson actively works to repeal ranked-choice voting, whereas Kreiss-Tomkins focuses ethics reform on corporate campaign spending limits and banning official junkets. **Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins:** Supports campaign finance limits and ethics reform Kreiss-Tomkins advocates for stripping political spending power from state corporations, re-establishing campaign contribution limits, prohibiting foreign official junkets, and appointing non-political members to state boards. - Remove political spending powers granted to state-chartered corporations. - Reinstitute campaign contribution limits for state elections. - Prohibit foreign junkets and lavish gifts for state officials. > “Get corporate money out of politics: remove political spending power from the list of powers the State of Alaska grants its corporations.” > — Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Jonathan_S._Kreiss-Tomkins) **Bernadette Wilson:** Supports repealing ranked-choice voting Wilson advocates for traditional voting methods and served as one of the three primary ballot sponsors supporting the initiative effort to repeal Alaska's top-four primary and ranked-choice voting system. - Co-sponsor the campaign initiative to repeal top-four primary and ranked-choice voting in Alaska. - Promote small government philosophy and constitutional liberties. > “Bernadette also signed on as one of the three main sponsors to support the most recent effort to repeal ranked choice voting in Alaska.” > — Bernadette Wilson, via [Campaign site](http://www.bernadetteforgovernor.com/) ### Fisheries & Subsistence Salience: medium Kreiss-Tomkins outlines specific regulatory measures to curb bottom trawl bycatch and protect ANILCA rural subsistence preferences, whereas Wilson expresses general support for protecting salmon runs. **Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins:** Supports bycatch reduction and subsistence rights Kreiss-Tomkins emphasizes reining in bottom trawl bycatch, keeping commercial fishing permits in local hands, protecting rural subsistence rights under ANILCA Title VIII, and fully funding fisheries management. - Rein in bottom trawl bycatch and fully fund ADF&G. - Keep commercial fishing permits in the hands of Alaska residents. - Protect rural subsistence preferences against legal challenges to ANILCA Title VIII. > “Rein in bottom trawl bycatch and conserve Alaska’s fisheries resources.” > — Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, via [Campaign site](https://www.jktforak.com/) **Bernadette Wilson:** Supports salmon conservation for future generations Wilson highlights wild fisheries in her overall vision for Alaska, promising to protect salmon runs across Bristol Bay and state waters for future generations. - Ensure bountiful salmon runs in Bristol Bay and statewide. - Preserve commercial and recreational fishing heritage. > “Bountiful salmon runs will be ensured for generations to come.” > — Bernadette Wilson, via [Campaign site](http://www.bernadetteforgovernor.com/) ### Transportation & Infrastructure Salience: medium Kreiss-Tomkins focuses infrastructure investment on the Alaska Marine Highway ferry system and core community assets, while Wilson emphasizes building industrial access roads like Ambler Road and West Susitna. **Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins:** Supports ferry system reform and core infrastructure Kreiss-Tomkins proposes rebuilding the Alaska Marine Highway System through general obligation bonds and establishing an independent governing board while focusing state infrastructure dollars on core transportation assets. - Rebuild Alaska Marine Highway System mainline vessels funded by GO bonds. - Establish an independent governing board for the Alaska Marine Highway System. - Prioritize maintenance of existing roads, bridges, ports, and rural airstrips over megaprojects. > “Rebuild the ferry system. Support adequate funding. Build a new generation of mainline vessels, financed by GO bonds.” > — Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Jonathan_S._Kreiss-Tomkins) **Bernadette Wilson:** Supports industrial resource access corridors Wilson advocates for immediate construction of key resource access corridors including the Ambler Road, West Susitna access, and King Cove road. - Construct industrial access corridors including Ambler Road and West Susitna. - Build the King Cove road connection. - Integrate transportation infrastructure directly with resource extraction goals. > “Action will replace talk, and whether it’s AKLNG, NPRA, ANWR, or Willow, Ambler Road, West Susitna, King Cove, or beyond, we will develop and we will build.” > — Bernadette Wilson, via [Campaign site](http://www.bernadetteforgovernor.com/) ### Housing Salience: medium **Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins:** Supports deregulation, state land release, and dark home taxes Kreiss-Tomkins proposes reducing homebuilding red tape, releasing state land near municipalities, removing barriers to modular housing, utilizing federal housing funds, and instituting taxes on nonresident dark homes. - Unlock state land parcels in and around municipalities for new housing. - Remove regulatory barriers for low-cost modular and manufactured homes. - Institute taxes on nonresident second homes ('dark homes') and establish a governor's housing task force. > “Bring down the cost of housing by cutting red tape so we can build affordable homes where Alaskans need them most.” > — Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Jonathan_S._Kreiss-Tomkins) **Bernadette Wilson:** No documented position in our sources ### Healthcare Salience: medium **Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins:** Supports Medicaid expansion and scope-of-practice reform Kreiss-Tomkins advocates protecting Medicaid expansion, collaborating with tribal health organizations, expanding telehealth, capping excessive prescription drug price markups, and broadening provider scopes of practice. - Protect Medicaid expansion and leverage federal tribal health funding. - Expand telehealth access and broaden scopes of practice for mid-level healthcare providers. - Outlaw excessive drug price markups and require hospital price transparency. > “Support Medicaid expansion.” > — Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Jonathan_S._Kreiss-Tomkins) **Bernadette Wilson:** No documented position in our sources ### Technology & Artificial Intelligence Salience: medium **Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins:** Supports data center moratorium and AI regulation Kreiss-Tomkins proposes a moratorium on new hyperscale data centers until state safety regulations pass, requiring data centers to cover full power costs, mandating AI liability, and banning political deepfakes and Flock surveillance cameras. - Enact a statewide moratorium on new hyperscale data centers pending state regulations. - Ensure data centers pay full utility costs without ratepayer subsidies. - Ban Flock mass-surveillance cameras and restrict AI political deepfakes. > “Only candidate to support a moratorium on all new data centers (similar to New York State) until the legislature can pass comprehensive regulation on data center development.” > — Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, via [Campaign site](https://www.jktforak.com/) **Bernadette Wilson:** No documented position in our sources [View this race on 2026election.com](https://www.2026election.com/race/2026-governor-ak)