LETTER: Republicans must unite behind governor candidate
Published 1:30 am Saturday, October 24, 2026
How many times have you seen a once happy family of siblings torn to shreds by something like pride, or more commonly, money? Usually, those two go hand in hand. Once happy siblings have been permanently ripped apart over the inheritance of the family estate. Love prevailed, and those brothers and sisters who chose the correct path have benefited from making the right choices. But absolutely true to Jesus’s words, those families who have become divided against themselves have completely fallen and have not stood. I know two brothers who have refused to speak to each other for 45 years now.
But this is not about people’s families, it’s about the Alaskan Republican Party which seems to be poised to hand over the reins of power to the Democrats because of the deep division between those who support the three candidates running for Governor. Jonathon Kreiss Tompkins is poised to become Alaska’s Democrat governor if Alaskan Republicans do not unite behind one candidate. The Democrats are united and do not have to “rank the blue” because the top Democrat vote getter is the only Democrat candidate among the final four. But the Republicans, having to use Ranked Choice Voting, have not united behind one candidate but rather, are voting for three candidates (Vote Yes on 2).
For me and the majority of Republicans, the choice is clear: Bernadette Wilson received the most votes from conservatives in the primary, and therefore, we should all unite behind her. Dave Bronson, who gave his word that he would bow out if he did not get the most votes in the primary, has stayed in the race and is not supporting Bernadette. And Treg Taylor seems to be of the same mindset. Both of these two should be urging solidarity behind Bernadette Wilson who received the most votes in the primary and who has the endorsement of President Donald J. Trump.
The Republican “House” will fall and be “brought to desolation” if we do not unite behind Bernadette Wilson who has the only chance of winning this thing. And if that happens, the Republican “family” in Alaska will turn bitter towards each other for a long time, just like a family that splinters apart.
Our oil and gas industry will take a major hit, and so will jobs supplied by that industry, and the natural gas pipeline coming down from the Slope will be delayed once again, if not for good. If we do not unite, we’ll have a governor of this state who will try to turn this place into another Oregon, Washington State, or worse, California. It is time to wake up and pull together.
K.C. Nye
