BEGICH AND HNILICKA WITHDRAW, ENDORSE KREISS-TOMKINS FOR GOVERNOR
Top two primary finishers call for Democratic unity and a new direction for Alaska
August 28, 2026
Today, Democratic candidate for Alaska governor Tom Begich and his lieutenant governor running mate Julia Hnilicka withdrew from the general election ballot and endorsed fellow Democratic candidate Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins (JKT) and his lieutenant governor running mate Zac Johnson.
Begich and Hnilicka’s bold and selfless decision clears the path for JKT and Johnson, the first-place finishers in the primary, to run as the lone change ticket against third, fourth, and fifth place finishers Bernadette Wilson, Dave Bronson, and Treg Taylor.
Begich and JKT have both campaigned on fully and forward funding public schools; lowering the cost of energy, housing, and healthcare; protecting Alaskan fisheries; and closing the S Corp loophole in the corporate income tax.
“My campaign has always been about bringing people together to revive the Alaska Dream,” Begich said. “So much of that vision is one Jonathan and I share: strong schools, affordable energy, and making sure Alaska’s resources work for Alaskans. I do not accept Alaska’s decline as normal, and the stakes are too high to divide the people, energy and momentum behind a vision that so many Alaskans share.”
“For all these reasons, today Julia and I are withdrawing and endorsing Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins for governor,” Begich continued. “I am deeply grateful to the more than 30,000 Alaskans who voted for us and to everyone who helped us build a coalition stretching from rural Alaska and Southeast communities to Southcentral and the Interior. Everything they put into this race was an investment in a vision for Alaska. The best way to honor that investment now is to carry that vision forward together.”
“Tom Begich has led the way on strengthening our schools, growing local economies, and building a self-reliant Alaska. When our time in the legislature overlapped, I got to know him as one of Alaska’s great coalition builders and a uniter — not a divider. With this historic and selfless decision, he’s continued that leadership and added a transformational chapter to his lifelong legacy of service to Alaska,” said Kreiss-Tomkins. “Tom’s running mate, Julia Hnilicka, is a fierce advocate for rural Alaska and an indispensable voice in the new generation of leadership that our state sorely needs. Our campaign is grateful for Tom and Julia’s support and their unceasing focus on a better future for our state. To every Alaskan who voted for Tom and Julia in the primary, for the next ten weeks and beyond we will make it our mission to earn your support and champion the many priorities we hold in common. To hell with political infighting. Let’s build a future made in Alaska.”
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About Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins
Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins (JKT), born and raised in Sitka, represented Southeast Alaska’s island communities for 10 years in the State House. He first won election at age 23 after leaving college without a degree to launch a grassroots campaign, traveling by ferry and floatplane to knock on nearly every door across Southeast Alaska, defeating an established incumbent by 32 votes.
A member of the Bipartisan Coalition in the House, he worked across the aisle to protect public education, reduce trawl bycatch and protect our fisheries, invest in infrastructure, revitalize Alaska Native languages, and protect the Permanent Fund from overspending. After a decade in the legislature, Kreiss-Tomkins retired in 2023, and spent two years working for a national nonprofit on science and technology policy on Capitol Hill, as well as working on campaigns across Alaska and the country.
Since leaving the legislature, he's seen what all Alaskans have witnessed: a distracted state government that is failing to solve Alaska’s big problems. Prices keep rising. Basic infrastructure is neglected. Schools struggle or close.
Alaska needs new energy and new leadership. JKT is running for governor to support our schools, bring down costs, and give families a reason to stay — so that the next generation will also call Alaska home.
To learn more, visit jktforak.com.
About Zac Johnson
Zac Johnson was born in Anchorage and spent his early years in a dry cabin his parents built along Turnagain Arm. In 2000, at age 19, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps as an infantryman. He served two deployments, including during the invasion of Iraq in 2003.
In 2006, Zac returned to Alaska and enrolled at the University of Alaska Anchorage. He volunteered as a firefighter and EMT with the Girdwood Fire Department before joining the Alaska State Troopers in 2013. As a state pilot and trooper with the Fairbanks-based Rural Unit, he worked missions from Dillingham to Arctic Village, and nearly every community in between. He later became a Tactical Flight Officer flying remote search and rescues, fishery patrols, and drug busts with federal law enforcement.
In 2023, Zac won election to the Anchorage Assembly as an independent. He has served as a strong advocate for public safety and responsible government. Today, Zac lives in South Anchorage with his wife, Liz, and continues to lead with Alaskan values of compassion, community, and hard work.
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