Jonathan, I thought that since you are about to enter into a realm where you have no previous experience I’d help you out with the rules of the game.

I know that given the stylish hours that high schools are keeping nowadays you are going to have some trouble if nobody clues you in; Work starts at seven in the morning. You will be expected to continue to work until at least seven or eight in the evening.

Whining is still allowed but you will find that it's been raised to a high art by your fellow minority members.

Alcohol and drugs are commonplace in the halls of the legislature but be careful not to actually get caught using them.

Sex? Lots is available (of all sorts) for free so don’t pay for any… it’s poor form. Oh, on that subject, you are not getting the George Jacko suite at the Driftwood. You don’t have enough seniority.

Money? Your problems are over. You are now officially on the take, just like all of your colleges. Again, don’t get caught.

Your implication (that Jonathan is somehow incapable because of his age) is ridiculous, as is your association of juvenile behavior with the Democratic minority. Most importantly, however, you are showing incredible disrespect to a young man who has already accomplished more in his 24 years than most do in a lifetime. I suggest you research his biography a little bit more.

Johnathan has been a standout in Southeast for a long time. I should know; he regularly beat me in debate tournaments during my freshman year and after graduation matriculated at Yale University, where he received an education that was undoubtedly far more comprehensive and in-depth than your own.

I guess I'm really tiptoeing around what I mean to say, namely that Mr. Kreiss-Tompkins is far more conscientious and intelligent than any of you (though he would surely dismiss this, as he's a pretty modest guy). If you think you can do better (and I assure you, you can't), run against him next time.

AH HA
wavemkr
inhuman

You three stooges are really pathetic.

JKT earned the trust of voters one door-knock at a time, demonstrating that he is a good listener, willing to share information, and has a vision for public policy that will benefit Alaskans for the long-term. This is a huge victory of integrity over pork-barrel incumbency. Thomas had this district gerry-mandered for his benefit, called in all his chits, and lost to a better.

This win also allows Rep. Scott Kawasaki to fill the last seat on the House Finance Committee.

Good news for SE, good news for Fairbanks, good news for Alaska.

Terry Gardiner was elected from Ketchikan in his early twenties, and became Speaker before he was 30.

Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins may be young, but he beat a member of the "powerful House Finance Committee" because he is also smart and campaigned hard.

Too bad some of the commenters here don't respect the constitution and the democracy it creates.

Or are sore losers. Or both.

Beats a carpetbagger with a family name!

too bad the elections are just a " popularity contest" and not for electing the best qualified persons available. I am positive Haines will suffer under Sitka libs choice of representative.

The native villagers gave Sealaska board members Bill Thomas & Albert Kookesh the boot in a free and fair election where it is one person, one vote. Thomas, a Republican, and Kookesh, a Democrat, lost where they could not rely on the corporate proxy vote to keep themselves & their friends in office.

Sealaska has been using this corporate public relations re-branding maneuver - keep on referring to tribal member shareholders, only Sealaska is not a tribe and its does not provide any governmental services. Sealaska is like any corporation in that elections are rigged and a minority can control the corporation, nothing democratic about that.

It has been great to hear Bill Thomas meltdown on Alaska Public Radio, at least Albert Kookesh had the good sense to keep quiet. Bill has lashed out everywhere - attacked Tlingit elders, attacked Natives, attacked commercial fishermen, and basically is a sore loser.