2026 Alaska Governor Election

Matt Heilala

R

Matt Heilala is a Republican candidate for governor and a businessman from Anchorage. His campaign focuses on resource development, technology, and economic growth. Heilala has worked in the private sector and emphasizes a fresh approach to state governance.

Gregg Brelsford

I

Gregg Brelsford is an Anchorage attorney and independent candidate for governor of Alaska. A Harvard Law School graduate and former Bristol Bay Borough manager, he describes himself as an 'education governor' focused on increasing K-12 funding. He filed preliminary paperwork but declined to formally register as a candidate by the June 1, 2026 deadline, and Ballotpedia reports he will not appear on the August 18 primary ballot.

Adam Crum

R

Adam Crum is a Republican candidate for Governor of Alaska in 2026. He served as Alaska's Commissioner of Health and Social Services (2018-2022) and Commissioner of Revenue (2022-2025), making him a key member of Governor Mike Dunleavy's cabinet. His campaign emphasizes economic diversification, resource development, and positioning Alaska as the 'next silicone tundra.'

Edna DeVries

R

Edna DeVries is the Mayor of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough and a Republican candidate for Governor of Alaska in the 2026 election. A former Alaska state senator, Palmer city council member and mayor, and former Republican National Committeewoman, she has held elected office for decades. Her campaign emphasizes government transparency, fiscal responsibility through zero-based budgeting, school choice, responsible resource development including the LNG pipeline, and full statutory Permanent Fund Dividend payments.

Meda DeWitt

N

Meda DeWitt is a lifelong Alaskan, Lingít (Tlingit) traditional healer, educator, and community organizer running as a nonpartisan candidate for governor. She previously chaired the Recall Dunleavy campaign and works as a senior manager for The Wilderness Society. Her platform emphasizes economic diversification, education funding, climate resilience, and stewardship-based governance.

Jessica Faircloth

I

Jessica Faircloth is an independent candidate for governor of Alaska in 2026. A single mother of five from Kasilof, she has never held elected office and entered the race as a political outsider frustrated with the management of Alaska's natural resources, fisheries, and the Permanent Fund Dividend. Her campaign focuses on constitutional protection of the PFD, government transparency through zero-based budgeting, education reform, and expanding mental health care access.

Shelley Hughes

R

Shelley Hughes is a Republican candidate for Governor of Alaska in the 2026 election. A former state senator and House member, she represented the Palmer area for over a decade and served as Senate Majority Leader from 2021 to 2022. Hughes resigned from the Senate in November 2025 to focus on her gubernatorial campaign and has since chosen retired U.S. Air Force Brigadier General Blake Gettys as her running mate.