Former state senator becomes first Democrat to enter Alaska governor's race

Iris Samuels, Anchorage Daily News, Alaska on Aug 18, 2025

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Former state Sen. Tom Begich has filed to run for governor of Alaska, becoming the first Democrat to join a field that already includes eight Republicans.

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy is termed out from seeking reelection, prompting a crowded race to replace him in 2026.

Begich served in the state Senate between 2016 and 2022, representing a downtown Anchorage district. He is the son of Nick Begich Sr., a Democrat who represented Alaska in the U.S. House of Representatives; brother of Mark Begich, a Democrat who served in the U.S. Senate; and uncle of U.S. Rep. Nick Begich III, a Republican elected to Congress last year.

While in the state Senate, Tom Begich worked with Dunleavy to pass the Alaska Reads Act, a bill meant to improve reading instruction in Alaska's public schools that Dunleavy has touted as one of his signature legislative accomplishments.

"After years of divisiveness stagnating Alaska, it's time for leadership that listens, understands where we have come from, and has a clear vision for where we can go," Begich said in an emailed statement. "I believe we can turn Alaska around. We can bring hope and opportunity back to our state. We can unify our cultures and communities. Together, we can build our future around the shared values that make Alaska unique."

Republicans in the governor's race include Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom, former state Sen. Click Bishop, Matanuska-Susitna Borough Mayor Edna DeVries, Anchorage business owner Bernadette Wilson, Anchorage podiatrist Matt Heilala, Palmer state Sen. Shelley Hughes, former Revenue Commissioner Adam Crum and Angoon resident James Parkin. U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski has also not ruled out a run for the seat.

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