Democrats aim to unite behind one candidate in Alaska governor’s race as they hope to flip the seat

Democrats aim to unite behind one candidate in Alaska governor’s race as they hope to flip the seat 1 of 2 | DDemocratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Begich poses for a photo in downtown Juneau, Alaska, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer, File) 2 of 2 | Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, right, speaking at a campaign event on Sunday, July 5, 2026, in Petersburg, Alaska. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer) 1 of 2 | DDemocratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Begich poses for a photo in downtown Juneau, Alaska, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer, File) 1 of 2 DDemocratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Begich poses for a photo in downtown Juneau, Alaska, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer, File) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 2 of 2 | Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, right, speaking at a campaign event on Sunday, July 5, 2026, in Petersburg, Alaska. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer) 2 of 2 Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, right, speaking at a campaign event on Sunday, July 5, 2026, in Petersburg, Alaska. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] Juneau, Alaska (AP) — Democrat Tom Begich has withdrawn from Alaska’s governor’s race, throwing his support behind fellow Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins for a seat the party hopes to flip in November.Begich finished just behind Kreiss-Tomkins in a crowded Aug. 18 primary that included 12 Republicans and some independents. Under Alaska’s election system, the top four finishers, regardless of party, advance to the ranked vote general election in November.Monday was the final day for candidates to withdraw from the ballot. Begich’s decision leaves Kreiss-Tomkins as the only Democrat on the ballot, giving the party what it sees as a strong opportunity to elect Alaska’s first Democratic governor in nearly 25 years.Begich’s campaign late Friday released a statement saying he and running mate Julia Hnilicka were suspending their campaign and endorsing Kreiss-Tomkins, who had finished with the most votes during the primary. The statement said the Begich campaign had raised more than $1.3 million but continuing would require millions more.It also said that after reviewing internal data and data provided by Kreiss-Tomkins’ campaign, Begich and Hnilicka concluded “that the strongest path to victory is to bring Democratic voters, donors and resources together behind one candidate.”“Rather than competing over visions that share so much in common, we are choosing to put our strength behind a shared vision for Alaska,” Begich said. Alaska Democrats in ‘lockstep’ as they try to regain the governor’s officeThose priorities include full and stable funding for public education, addressing housing, health care and energy costs, and ensuring that Alaska receives a “fair share” from the development of its oil and gas resources. That generally means support of raising taxes on those industries.Kreiss-Tomkins in a statement told Begich supporters he would make it his campaign’s mission to earn their backing and champion those priorities.