Matt Heilala
highAdvocates for market-based healthcare reform to lower costs and increase access for Alaskans.
Compare Candidates
Governor • Alaska
Choose candidates to compare:
Gregg Brelsford
lowNo public position found after repeated research attempts.
Forecast
tossup
Biography & Summary
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 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.
Positions on Key Issues
Healthcare
Advocates for market-based healthcare reform to lower costs and increase access for Alaskans. Emphasizes private-sector competition and consumer choice in health care rather than government mandates.
Confidence high
No public position found after repeated research attempts.
Confidence low
Economy
Economy: Heilala says no economy means no community. He advocates lowering energy costs, expanding housing access, and keeping the state budget sensible, while enforcing fiscal transparency (track every dollar, eliminate waste) and upholding Alaska’s revenue- and spending-cap framework to fund an affordable dividend.
Confidence high
No explicit economy policy has been published; Brelsford has framed his governorship around education funding, declaring that he would be Alaska's 'education governor' and would make education funding his top priority.
Confidence medium
Climate/Energy
Matt Heilala supports the responsible development of Alaska's oil, gas, and mineral resources and aims to lower energy costs for Alaska families, paired with infrastructure to get resources to market.
Confidence high
No public position found after repeated research attempts.
Confidence low
Abortion & Reproductive Health
No public position found after repeated research attempts.
Confidence low
Gregg Brelsford supports abortion rights with limits; he endorses the Roe v. Wade framework and stated in 2022 that Congress should codify abortion rights at the federal level, while opposing abortion as birth control. He emphasizes maximum personal freedom in major life decisions, including pregnancy.
Confidence high
Immigration
No public position found after repeated research attempts.
Confidence low
No public position found after repeated research attempts.
Confidence low
Firearms & Second Amendment
No public position found after repeated research attempts.
Confidence low
No public position found after repeated research attempts.
Confidence low
Foreign Policy
No public position found after repeated research attempts.
Confidence low
No public position found after repeated research attempts.
Confidence low
Civil Rights & Equality
Matt Heilala supports restricting gender-affirming care for minors in Alaska, advocating for regulatory action by the Alaska Medical Board to limit such care and sanction providers who offer it; he frames this as protecting minors from irreversible medical decisions.
Confidence high
Brelsford treats Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) as a core civil rights priority, arguing that Alaska must address cold‑case investigations and structural inequities affecting Indigenous communities. If elected, he would create a dedicated governor’s assistant to address MMIP issues and coordinate related policy across state agencies.
Confidence medium
Education
As Governor, I will promote an education system that puts Alaska parents and families back in charge, not bureaucrats in Juneau.
Confidence high
He would be Alaska's 'education governor,' making education funding his top priority and advocating for increased per-student funding to support K-12 education.
Confidence high
Tech & AI
If elected, Heilala would integrate AI into state government to deliver faster, smarter results for Alaskans through performance, not promises. AI would streamline permitting and reduce red tape delaying resource development, improve budgeting and fraud detection, empower remote services, and boost productivity in healthcare, education, and the workforce.
Confidence high
No public position found after repeated research attempts.
Confidence low
Election Policy
No public position found after repeated research attempts.
Confidence low
No public position found after repeated research attempts.
Confidence low
Local Issues
Matt Heilala advocates for limited government and greater local control, starting with a comprehensive regulatory review in Year One and vetoing unnecessary regulations to cut red tape. He also emphasizes empowering communities to make their own decisions.
Confidence high
Gregg Brelsford has stated that education funding will be his top priority as Alaska governor, describing himself as an 'education governor' who aims to address perceived harm to K-12 students and teachers under current leadership.
Confidence high
Background & Credentials
Career Timeline
Businessman2000 – Present
Private SectorNo career records.
Education
University of Alaska AnchorageBachelor's in Business(1995)
No education records.
Financial Donors
Heilala is overwhelmingly self-funded: he and his wife contributed nearly $1.3 million of their own money to the campaign, accounting for more than 94% of his total $1.36 million raised. Outside contributions amounted to roughly $81,000 from approximately 378 donors, with his largest non-family contribution being $6,030 from construction company owner Seth Kroenke. As of February 2026, Heilala reported over $1 million cash on hand, the largest reserve of any candidate.
Open FEC Donor Details ↗Brelsford filed a candidate registration with the Alaska Public Offices Commission but Ballotpedia reports he will not appear on the August 18, 2026 primary ballot. No campaign finance reports were found showing fundraising activity, and his APOC filing showed no reported fundraising.
Open FEC Donor Details ↗Voting Record
Heilala has never held elected office and has no legislative voting record. He served on the Alaska State Medical Board and is a podiatrist and businessman with interests in real estate and property development. His campaign emphasizes his status as a political outsider, and he has touted his connection to President Donald Trump, describing himself as a golfing partner of the president.
Open Detailed Voting Source ↗Brelsford has never held elected office and has no legislative voting record. He is an Anchorage attorney with experience in rule-of-law development and public administration, and has served as a law professor. He previously ran for U.S. House in Alaska's 2022 special election. As a candidate, he has said he wants to be Alaska's 'education governor' and make education funding his top priority.
Open Detailed Voting Source ↗Forecast Model estimate
50%
estimated win probability
10%
estimated win probability