JKT TAKES CAMPAIGN TO THE KUSKOKWIM RIVER, VISITS FOUR VILLAGES

Has visited dozens of rural Alaska communities since launching campaign, pledging to govern for all of Alaska

October 8, 2026

Alaska governor candidate Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins (JKT) completed a campaign trip to the Kuskokwim, visiting five communities on his latest trip to rural Alaska, and building on his field-leading status. Starting in the lower Kuskokwim River hub community of Bethel, JKT took a boat upriver to Tuluksak and made his back down with visits in Akiak, Akiachak, and Kwethluk.

The 100-plus mile river trip underscores JKT’s deep commitment to rural Alaska and status as the standout candidate on rural issues and engagement. On the Kuskokwim, he spent time with rural Alaskans who live without running water or sewer (Tuluksak), and contend with skyrocketing costs ($15/gallon milk, $10/gallon gas), minimal public safety presence, and threats to subsistence fishing and hunting. A video documenting JKT’s Kuskokwim trip is available here.

“Vast swaths of Alaska are so often overlooked, and a huge focus of our campaign is giving rural Alaska a strong voice in Juneau,” said Kreiss-Tomkins. “That means getting out to communities and spending time in villages. People on the Kuskokwim have shouldered too much pain from skyrocketing costs and dwindling salmon runs. I want to share a heartfelt thank you to everyone we met for their incredible generosity.”

JKT’s Kuskokwim trip is the latest in a series of travel swings across rural Alaska he has made since launching his campaign in February. He snowmachined 350 miles from Huslia to Kotzebue in April and boated 450 miles down the Yukon River from Galena to in July. On Friday, October 9, he is set to depart for the North Slope and visit with whaling crews participating in the fall bowhead harvest.

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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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