Tom Begich Suspends Alaska Governor Campaign to Endorse Kreiss-Tomkins

Democratic candidate Tom Begich suspended his campaign for Alaska governor on Friday, endorsing fellow Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins to consolidate party support. Begich finished second in the nonpartisan open primary with nearly 21 percent of the vote, while Kreiss-Tomkins led the primary with 22.5 percent. Begich cited funding concerns and internal data indicating that a single Democratic candidate provides the strongest path to victory.

The general election now features one Democrat against three Republicans competing to replace term-limited Governor Mike Dunleavy. Republican candidate Bernadette Wilson, who led the conservative vote in the primary with 10 percent, urged her party to unify. However, former Anchorage mayor and fellow Republican candidate Dave Bronson refused to step aside, arguing that Wilson lacks the support necessary to defeat the Democrats.

Democrats view the open seat as a rare opportunity, despite Alaska voting for Donald Trump in the last three presidential elections.