Groh and Sager Compete for Alaska House District 18

Democrat Cliff Groh and Republican Dan Sager are competing for the Alaska House District 18 seat, a region marked by high resident turnover and chronically low voter turnout. The district is dominated by Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, where federal laws banning on-base campaigning force both candidates to rely on phone calls and digital outreach to reach the military population.

Groh, a former state representative, is campaigning on his policy experience with a focus on substandard housing and homelessness. Sager, a first-time candidate and building materials sales manager, has centered his platform on preventing income tax increases and protecting the energy industry. Both candidates have found common ground on infrastructure and public safety, specifically advocating for the installation of sidewalks on Duben Avenue in the Muldoon neighborhood.

Local political dynamics are currently influenced by the high-profile U.S. Senate race between Dan Sullivan and Mary Peltola, which Sager suggests is consuming much of the public's attention. While Groh seeks a Democratic trifecta in state government to break policy stagnation, Sager has expressed concern over the implications of a non-Republican majority in the House and governor's office.