Shelley Hughes
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.
Positions on Key Issues
| Issue | Stance | Confidence | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tech & AI | AI should work for Alaskans, not against us, with strong safeguards including transparency, human oversight, and clear decision-appeal mechanisms. I support growing Alaska's tech economy by attracting AI data centers and tech hubs while safeguarding privacy and accountability. | high | |
| Local Issues | Stance: Shelley Hughes emphasizes fiscal stability to strengthen local Alaska communities, advocating a long-term fiscal plan, a constitutional spending cap with a sunset-review mechanism, and constitutional protections for the Permanent Fund and a fair PFD. She also supports expanding in-state industries such as agriculture, energy, mining, and manufacturing, while promoting school choice and vocational training to prepare Alaskans for local jobs. | high | |
| Healthcare | Support reducing Medicaid rolls and costs by training able-bodied recipients for good jobs and transitioning individuals to step-down coverage, as part of strengthening Alaska's workforce while maintaining essential health coverage for those in need. This approach aims to reduce long-term Medicaid dependency and improve workforce participation. | high | |
| Economy | Hughes advocates diversifying Alaska’s economy away from oil by expanding mining, timber, and agriculture, and by boosting workforce development and vocational training to reduce outmigration; she supports private-sector approaches to public services, including private partnerships in the Alaska Marine Highway System, to improve infrastructure and lower costs, with energy affordability as a foundational driver of economic growth. | high | |
| Climate/Energy | As governor, Hughes would diversify Alaska's energy economy away from oil and toward reliable, domestic energy sources, including geothermal and hydropower. She would prioritize reducing energy costs for households and businesses and advance energy infrastructure that supports resource development and job growth. | high | |
| Abortion & Reproductive Health | Pro-life; supports a constitutional amendment clarifying that nothing in Alaska’s Constitution creates a right to abortion and would defend pro-life laws, expand crisis pregnancy centers, adoption services, and maternal health programs, redirect state funds away from abortion providers, and appoint an Attorney General to vigorously defend pro-life policy. | high | |
| Firearms & Second Amendment | Supports authorizing trained school staff to carry concealed handguns on school grounds under SB 173, with districts paying training costs and providing liability protections. Districts would adopt written policies and annual active-shooter plans. | high | |
| Immigration | No public position found after repeated research attempts. | low | No supporting sources |
| Foreign Policy | No public position found after repeated research attempts. | low | No supporting sources |
| Civil Rights & Equality | No public position found after repeated research attempts. | low | No supporting sources |
| Education | No public position found after repeated research attempts. | low | No supporting sources |
| Election Policy | No public position found after repeated research attempts. | low | No supporting sources |
Tech & AI
highAI should work for Alaskans, not against us, with strong safeguards including transparency, human oversight, and clear decision-appeal mechanisms. I support growing Alaska's tech economy by attracting AI data centers and tech hubs while safeguarding privacy and accountability.
Local Issues
highStance: Shelley Hughes emphasizes fiscal stability to strengthen local Alaska communities, advocating a long-term fiscal plan, a constitutional spending cap with a sunset-review mechanism, and constitutional protections for the Permanent Fund and a fair PFD. She also supports expanding in-state industries such as agriculture, energy, mining, and manufacturing, while promoting school choice and vocational training to prepare Alaskans for local jobs.
Healthcare
highSupport reducing Medicaid rolls and costs by training able-bodied recipients for good jobs and transitioning individuals to step-down coverage, as part of strengthening Alaska's workforce while maintaining essential health coverage for those in need. This approach aims to reduce long-term Medicaid dependency and improve workforce participation.
Economy
highHughes advocates diversifying Alaska’s economy away from oil by expanding mining, timber, and agriculture, and by boosting workforce development and vocational training to reduce outmigration; she supports private-sector approaches to public services, including private partnerships in the Alaska Marine Highway System, to improve infrastructure and lower costs, with energy affordability as a foundational driver of economic growth.
Climate/Energy
highAs governor, Hughes would diversify Alaska's energy economy away from oil and toward reliable, domestic energy sources, including geothermal and hydropower. She would prioritize reducing energy costs for households and businesses and advance energy infrastructure that supports resource development and job growth.
Abortion & Reproductive Health
highPro-life; supports a constitutional amendment clarifying that nothing in Alaska’s Constitution creates a right to abortion and would defend pro-life laws, expand crisis pregnancy centers, adoption services, and maternal health programs, redirect state funds away from abortion providers, and appoint an Attorney General to vigorously defend pro-life policy.
Firearms & Second Amendment
highSupports authorizing trained school staff to carry concealed handguns on school grounds under SB 173, with districts paying training costs and providing liability protections. Districts would adopt written policies and annual active-shooter plans.
Immigration
lowNo public position found after repeated research attempts.
No supporting sources available
Foreign Policy
lowNo public position found after repeated research attempts.
No supporting sources available
Civil Rights & Equality
lowNo public position found after repeated research attempts.
No supporting sources available
Education
lowNo public position found after repeated research attempts.
No supporting sources available
Election Policy
lowNo public position found after repeated research attempts.
No supporting sources available
Top Donors
Hughes reported raising approximately $306,000, with $227,000 coming from her own funds and $25,000 from her mother Rosemary Lebowitz. Excluding family, she received 140 contributions averaging $372. As of early February 2026, she reported between $117,000 and $158,000 cash on hand. Her fundraising placed her sixth among the field, and she downplayed the importance of fundraising, emphasizing instead her travel and listening sessions across the state.
Voting Record
Hughes served in the Alaska Legislature for over a decade — as a State Representative (2013-2016) and State Senator (2017-2025) — and was Senate Majority Leader from 2021 to 2022. She resigned from the Senate in November 2025 to run for governor. As a conservative Republican, she prime-sponsored SB 9 to establish an Alaska Sunset Commission for reviewing state agencies, SB 3 relating to health insurance information and incentives, and SJR 2 (a proposed constitutional amendment on abortion funding). She also sponsored bills on senior benefits, school employee health insurance, and allowing handguns for school employees and volunteers. She served on the Education, Judiciary, Resources, and Rules committees.
Sources
About this research
Data compiled from public sources and analyzed using AI. Last updated 7/11/2026. Visit candidate websites for the most current information.