In this May 12, 2018 photo, Alaska House Minority Leader Chris Tuck looks over a document during a break in the Alaska House floor session in Juneau, Alaska. (Becky Bohrer | Associated Press File)

In this May 12, 2018 photo, Alaska House Minority Leader Chris Tuck looks over a document during a break in the Alaska House floor session in Juneau, Alaska. (Becky Bohrer | Associated Press File)

Control of Alaska House unsettled ahead of session start

The big question.

The big question heading into the new legislative session Tuesday is: Who will control the Alaska House?

Republicans will hold 23 of the chamber’s 40 seats, which would be enough for a small majority. But party doesn’t always dictate how lawmakers organize.

Bipartisan coalitions have formed when the parties are closely divided or evenly split. Organizations have formed, too, in bids to help protect constituent interests.

Rural Alaska Democrats, for instance, have organized with the GOP when it’s in charge to ensure their districts aren’t left out of budget and policy decisions.

[Pre-filed bills tackle Alaska’s sexual assault problem]

The way lawmakers organize determines their top leadership.

For the past two years, the House has been controlled by a largely Democratic coalition that formed with a goal of addressing the state’s deficit following drawn-out and gridlocked legislative sessions. The few Republicans who joined were branded turncoats by then-state GOP chair Tuckerman Babcock, now Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s chief of staff.

In November, two of the coalition’s members lost re-election bids to Republicans, and a third successfully ran for state Senate. His House seat went to a Republican.

Republicans, therefore, were eager to reclaim control, asserting the day after the elections that they had organized a bare-minimum majority, even though a race involving one of their members, Bart LeBon, was too close to call. While the race was being sorted out, ultimately in LeBon’s favor, Kenai Rep. Gary Knopp left the GOP caucus, saying the organization was too small and “doomed to fail.” Nancy Dahlstrom, who had just won a seat, left to become Dunleavy’s corrections commissioner.

[Here’s four of the most important pre-filed bills]

The two Republicans who caucused with Democrats and won re-election have indicated a desire to be part of a coalition. Knopp, who hasn’t joined with Democrats either, has expressed interest in the parties working together. Republican Sharon Jackson, whom Dunleavy appointed to replace Dahlstrom, must be confirmed by House Republicans and seated.

Some current or incoming Republican members have said they would prefer a GOP-led majority organization, or pledged to voters that they would only be part of an organization led by Republicans.

In 1981, a permanent speaker wasn’t elected until the 22nd day of session, and that organization was tenuous. That June, during session, the Democratic House speaker, Jim Duncan, was ousted from the role and replaced by Republican Joe Hayes.

No one wants a repeat of that, said Rep. Dave Talerico of Healy, a leader of the Republican caucus. The best outcome, in his mind, would be for his group to pick up a few more members.

He and other legislators hoped having everyone in Juneau, face to face, could help break the logjam.

The majority leader the past two years, Anchorage Democratic Rep. Chris Tuck, said having freshmen get to know members from the other party is important.

[Juneau’s freshman lawmakers gear up for session]

Tuck likes, at least as a starting point, a so-called committee of the whole. A version of that concept was floated in an Anchorage Daily News opinion piece by Republican Gail Phillips and Democrat Kay Brown, former lawmakers who proposed the Republican and Democratic-led groups share power, with co-speakers who would rotate in the duty and committee co-chairs. Under their proposal, the full House would vote on a leadership package.

“Right now, just staring at each other isn’t a very good process,” Tuck said.

Republican Rep. David Eastman, a conservative lawmaker at times at odds with his party, said organization should occur around agenda items and priorities, not around personality and positions of authority. He said two issues that lawmakers should begin organizing around are repeal of a sprawling criminal justice overhaul and following the traditional formula for calculating the annual checks residents receive from the state’s oil-wealth fund, both issues Dunleavy has championed.

Some legislators argue fixes have been made to the criminal justice overhaul, and all-out repeal is unnecessary. The dividend calculation has not been followed since 2016, as lawmakers grappled with the budget deficit.

Typically being in the majority means bigger offices, committee chairmanships and larger staffs.

If lawmakers have not organized in a way that forms a majority by Tuesday, Lt. Gov. Kevin Meyer would oversee nominations for and election of a speaker pro tempore, according to his office.

[Free speech under attack? ACLU alleges political retaliation in Dunleavy firings]

“The State is facing real challenges to move forward, and Alaskans need all branches of their government functioning to help find solutions,” Meyer’s chief of staff, Josh Applebee, said by email.

Dunleavy’s budget office has projected a $1.6 billion deficit for the coming fiscal year. Dunleavy said he would work to ensure his budget proposal is in line with revenues.

North Pole Republican Rep. Tammie Wilson said cutting $1 billion would be difficult without major restructuring and she doesn’t think it could happen in a year.

But she said the state can move in that direction by asking whether certain services are necessary and whether some can be covered through public-private partnerships.

There was pushback last year against the level of cuts already made in some areas. Alaska does not have a state sales or personal income tax. Tuck said he doesn’t know how $1.6 billion could be cut “without tanking the economy further.”

The state has long relied on oil revenues and last year, after years of deficits, began using Alaska Permanent Fund earnings to help cover part of the gap. Earnings also are used to pay the annual dividend residents receive from the oil-wealth fund.


• This is an Associated Press report by Becky Bohrer.


More in Home

Media members and other observers gather at the Alaska Division of Elections office on Wednesday evening as the results of all ballots, including ranked choice tabulations, were announced. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Ranked choice voting repeal fails by 0.2%, Begich defeats Peltola 51.3%-48.7% on final day of counting

Tally released Wednesday night remains unofficial until Nov. 30 certification.

Current senior Kerra Baxter (22) shoots a free throw for now defunct Thunder Mountain High School in last season’s ASAA state championship 4th/6th place game against the Mountain City Christian Academy Lions. Baxter has signed to play Division II college basketball with the University of Alaska Anchorage Seawolves. Baxter will play for Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé this season. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Kerra Baxter signs to play for UAA Seawolves

Twin tower elects to stay in state and close to home fan base

Looking through the dining room and reception area to the front door. The table will be covered with holiday treats during the afternoon open house. The Stickley slide table, when several extensions are added, provides comfortable seating for 22 dinner guests. (Laurie Craig / Juneau Empire)
The Governor’s House: Welcoming Alaskans for more than 100 years

Mansion has seen many updates to please occupants, but piano bought with first funds still playable.

Glacier Swim Club members, left-to-right, Cora Soboleff, Clara Van Kirk, Natalie MacKinnon, Ellie Higgins, Leon Ward, coach Lisa Jones, Zach Holden, Josh Ely and Henry Thatcher during the 2024 November Rain swim meet at Petersburg last weekend. (Photo courtesy Glacier Swim Club)
Glacier Swim Club competes at Petersburg’s November Rain

Juneau’s Glacier Swim Club participated in the November Rain Invitational swim meet… Continue reading

A butter clam. Butter clams are found from the Aleutian Islands to the California coast. They are known to retain algal toxins longer than other species of shellfish. (Photo provided by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife)
Among butter clams, which pose toxin dangers to Alaska harvesters, size matters, study indicates

Higher concentrations found in bigger specimens, UAS researchers find of clams on beaches near Juneau.

An aerial view of people standing near destroyed and damaged buildings in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene flooding on Oct. 8, 2024 in Bat Cave, North Carolina. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)
Members of U.S. Senate back disaster aid request amid increasing storm severity

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration’s request for nearly $100 billion in natural… Continue reading

The language of Ballot Measure 2 appears on Alaska’s 2024 absentee ballots. The measure would repeal the states open primary and ranked choice voting system. (Andrew Kitchenman/Alaska Beacon)
Count tightens to 45-vote margin for repealing Alaska’s ranked choice system going into final day

State Division of Elections scheduled to conduct final tally at 5 p.m. Wednesday.

Juneau Assembly members confer with city administrative leaders about details of a proposed resolution asking the state for more alcohol licenses during an Assembly meeting Monday night. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Petition seeking one-third expansion of alcohol-serving establishments gets Assembly OK

Request to state would allow 31 licensees in Juneau instead of 23; Assembly rejects increase to 43.

The drive-through of the Mendenhall Valley branch of True North Federal Credit Union, seen on June 13, is where a man was laying down when he was fatally struck by a truck during the early morning hours of June 1. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
Police: Driver of CBJ truck not at fault in death of man struck in drive-through lane of bank

Victim laying on pavement during early-morning incident in June couldn’t be seen in time, JPD chief says.

Most Read