PLUMBERS & STEAMFITTERS UA LOCAL 367 ENDORSES KREISS-TOMKINS FOR GOVERNOR
JKT earns sole endorsement as support grows among building trades unions
September 10, 2026
Today, Democratic candidate for Alaska governor Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins (JKT) and lieutenant governor running mate Zac Johnson announced the sole endorsement of Plumbers and Steamfitters UA Local 367 (UA 367).
UA Local 367 represents skilled tradespeople working throughout Alaska in plumbing, pipefitting, welding, HVACR service, utilities, facility maintenance, and related industries. UA 367 members build and maintain the infrastructure that Alaskans depend on every day—from schools, hospitals, military installations, and public facilities to utilities, energy projects, and major commercial and industrial construction. The union advocates for safe working conditions, family-supporting wages and benefits, and opportunities for Alaskans to build careers in the skilled trades.
“Alaska has tremendous opportunities in front of us, but those opportunities need to translate into good careers for Alaskans,” said UA Local 367 Business Manager Aaron Plikat. “Jonathan has shown that he is willing to sit down with working people, listen to our concerns, and have serious conversations about workforce development, infrastructure, energy, and the future of Alaska. Our endorsement reflects our belief that working men and women deserve a meaningful voice as those decisions are made.”
“We’re proud to stand with working Alaskans and earn UA Local 367’s endorsement,” said Kreiss-Tomkins. “It’s time to lower everyday costs, invest in infrastructure, and get Alaska back on track.”
“I'm honored to have the support of the hardworking men and women of UA Local 367 as JKT and I get to work to lower the cost of living and fix Alaska’s infrastructure,” said Johnson, a graduate of the Alaska AFL-CIO’s Arthur A. Almon Labor Candidate School and former member of the Public Safety Employees Association.
UA 367 is the ninth labor organization to join JKT’s growing cross-partisan coalition, which also includes the Alaska AFL-CIO, 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 fishermens’ 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 support Alaska schools, protect our fisheries, invest in infrastructure, fight corruption and protect the Permanent Fund. 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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