JKT ISSUES STATEMENT ON ANCHORAGE CHAMBER FORUM CANCELLATION
“Alaska deserves a governor who is focused on Alaska.”
October 5, 2026
Today, Alaska governor candidate Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins (JKT) released the following statement on the last-minute withdrawal of the other governor candidates from the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce’s Make it Monday Forum:
Today, I was the only candidate for governor who showed up for the Anchorage Chamber’s Make It Monday forum. Other candidates canceled at the last minute to attend the Vice President’s event in Fairbanks.
I’m running to be Governor of Alaska and my priority is Alaskans.
When Alaska's business leaders invite candidates to talk about our economy — how we build a business-friendly state, bring in investment that puts Alaskans to work, and restore fiscal responsibility — you show up. Alaska deserves a governor who is focused on Alaska, not national politics and not whatever event happens to draw the biggest headlines.
That’s the kind of governor I intend to be. I’ll show up, I’ll listen, and I’ll keep my focus where it belongs: on Alaska and our future.
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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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