Alaska Governor's Race Heats Up As GOP Candidate Makes New Staff Picks

As I've mentioned many times, Alaska is an odd place, politically. It routinely goes Republican in presidential elections, but the state legislature is strangely controlled by a cabal of Democrats and squishy Republicans. The Anchorage area, home to roughly half the state's population, is largely Democratic, as is the capital down in Juneau, but it's counterbalanced in part by the Matanuska-Susitna area, which leans more toward the GOP.

And, then, of course, there's Princess Lisa Murkowski.

We've had a pretty good governor in Mike Dunleavy for a while now, but he's term-limited and can't run again next year. The GOP candidates who have announced so far are Click Bishop, a former state senator from the Fairbanks North Star Borough, Lieutenant Governor Nancy Dahlstrom, and Anchorage businesswoman Bernadette Wilson. Bernadette Wilson, it seems, is in it to win it; she's just announced some interesting staff picks.

The Bernadette for Governor campaign announced this week a major boost in national firepower, with two seasoned strategists from the highest levels of Republican politics joining her team: Brad Herold and Ben Yoho.
Herold and Yoho bring with them a proven record of national success working on some of the most competitive and successful Republican campaigns in the country. Their partnership signals a serious elevation in strategy and execution for Wilson’s gubernatorial effort, giving it one of the most professional, battle-tested operations in Alaska political history.

Ms. Wilson is leveraging the "not a politician" label that was, in part, what sent President Trump to the White House. She's been a political activist, a radio talk show host, and is a business owner, namely her Anchorage-based Denali Disposal. This may suit her well in politics, as she's already used to taking out the trash.

Ms. Wilson has also opposed Alaska's ill-advised ranked-choice voting scheme, which will (we hope) be on the ballot for repeal again in 2026. She announced her candidacy from the state capital, Juneau, which she describes as being "the belly of the beast."

Here are a few details on the two new campaign staff picks:

Brad Herold, partner at the nationally recognized firm Something Else Strategies, brings over a decade of experience running top-tier Republican campaigns, including Gov. DeSantis’ upset 2018 victory and President Trump’s 2016 ground game in Florida. Herold has built a reputation for disciplined, creative, and effective campaign media—helping elect a slate of governors, senators, and conservative champions.

And:

Ben Yoho, Chairman and CEO of The Strategy Group Company, provides media and strategy for some of the biggest names in Republican politics, including President Trump’s Super PAC MAGA Inc. in the 2024 cycle. A former presidential campaign CEO and seasoned political tactician, Yoho brings deep experience in message delivery, targeting, and maximizing media impact.

It's going to be an interesting campaign. Too early to make any predictions, but Bernadette Wilson makes an interesting candidate.

Make Alaska Great Again: A New Candidate for the Great Land's Governor Has Some Unique Qualifications.

Alaska has been more on the national stage of late. As I've said and written many times, you can't talk about energy issues without talking about Alaska. You can't talk about military matters, especially in the Pacific, without talking about Alaska. President Trump and his administration are already pushing ahead to take advantage of Alaska's energy and mineral resources, and we'll need a governor who will support that effort.

We have an interesting year ahead, here in the Great Land.

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