INLANDBOATMEN’S UNION OF THE PACIFIC ENDORSES KREISS-TOMKINS FOR GOVERNOR
Largest union representing Alaska’s inland mariners backs JKT’s platform to invest in ferry system and coastal infrastructure
October 1, 2026
Today, Alaska governor candidate Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins (JKT) and lieutenant governor running mate Zac Johnson announced the sole endorsement of the Inlandboatmen’s Union of the Pacific (IBU).
Founded in 1918, IBU represents workers on a variety of vessels, including ferries, tugboats, barges, and docks. They also represent shoreside workers, including warehouse workers, maintenance workers, dispatchers, and the employees of the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS).
IBU’s endorsement offers a significant validation of JKT’s platform to invest in Alaska’s coastal infrastructure, including ports, harbors, and the long-neglected AMHS. In addition to championing adequate operating funding for the ferry system, JKT has proposed creating an independent, non-political governing board, similar to the Alaska Railroad and the University of Alaska, to manage the system insulated from the changing political dynamics of the executive branch. JKT fought for AMHS funding in the legislature, and as a Sitka High School student he wrote the Wikipedia pages for all vessels in the AMHS fleet.
“We have seen over the years, while JKT was in the legislature, that he has shown a commitment to supporting regular ferry service for all Alaskans,” said Earling Walli, Inlandboatmen’s Union of the Pacific Alaska Regional Director. “As mariners, we appreciate JKT sharing his plans for getting the Alaska Marine Highway back on track and his candor about all the issues that are affecting Alaskans today. We are proud to unanimously endorse his candidacy for governor.”
“I’m honored to have the support of IBU’s members, who keep Alaskans moving on the water,” said Kreiss-Tomkins. “I grew up hopping on the M/V LeConte to get to swim meets and regional events like it was hopping on a bus to get to one side of town from the other. I appreciate firsthand how IBU’s members provide vital services for so many Alaskans and our entire state’s economy. I couldn’t be more excited to tackle the problem of rebuilding Alaska’s ferry system.”
JKT’s growing cross-partisan coalition also includes the Alaska AFL-CIO, Western States Carpenters Union, Anchorage Police Department Employees Association PAC, Teamsters Local 959, UA Local 367, IBEW Local 1547, IUPAT Local 1959, Alaska Professional Fire Fighters Association, NEA-Alaska, Alaska State Employees Association/AFSCME Local 52 PAC, Alaska Public Employees Association/American Federation of Teachers, and SEIU 775; over 50 Alaska Native leaders; over 40 commercial fisheries leaders; the commercial fishermen’s organizations Kodiak Seiners Association, Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association, and Cordova District Fishermen United; former Gov. Tony Knowles; former Senate President Rick Halford; and over 60 elected Republicans, Democrats, and independents from Ketchikan to Kotzebue who are backing JKT’s vision to get Alaska back on track.
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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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