Tom Begich says he will withdraw from Alaska governor’s race

Gubernatorial candidate Tom Begich speaks during a forum at the Alaska Oil & Gas Association (AOGA) 10th annual conference at the Dena’ina Center in Anchorage on Wednesday, Aug. 26. (Bill Roth / ADN)

Tom Begich, the Democratic former state lawmaker who finished second in Alaska’s crowded gubernatorial primary, said Friday that he is dropping out of the governor’s race and endorsing Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins.

Begich was the first Democrat to enter the race and secured 20.8% of the primary vote, finishing second to Kreiss-Tomkins, his former colleague in the Legislature, who received 22.5% of the vote.

With Begich’s withdrawal, only one Democrat will appear on the November ballot, paving the way for Kreiss-Tomkins, the 37-year-old from Sitka, to consolidate Democratic support.

In an interview Friday evening, Begich said he made the decision to withdraw based on data showing that a Democrat was likely to win the governor’s race if only one such candidate appears on the November ballot.

It’s been nearly three decades since Alaskans last elected a Democrat to serve as governor.

“It was a better chance of winning if one of us went on alone,” Begich said.

Begich also said he was concerned about the prospect of two Democrats competing for scarce campaign funds.

“There’s just a limited pool,” he said. “Being able to get enough resources to run a successful campaign is hard when you’re No. 2, not No. 1, in the outcome in a primary.”

Ultimately, Begich said he thinks Kreiss-Tomkins’ priorities are aligned with his. Both have focused their campaigns on improving the state’s education system, lowering the cost of living and raising new state revenue to pay for government services.

“I’ve had a series of conversations with Jonathan, and in each of those conversations, I’ve come away believing that his values and my values are very, very similar,” Begich said.

Under Alaska’s election laws, the top four finishers in the open primary advance to the ranked choice general election.

The November ballot is expected to include Republican businesswoman Bernadette Wilson, who received 10% of the vote, and Republican former Anchorage mayor Dave Bronson, who received 8.1%.

Some Alaska Republican leaders have also issued calls for consolidation in the GOP field. But after initial election results were posted, both Wilson and Bronson committed to staying in the race.

The fourth candidate on the November ballot is now set to be Republican former attorney general Treg Taylor, who received 7.3% of the vote. However, the Alaska Public Offices Commission this week recommended that his candidacy be invalidated because he failed to complete a financial disclosure as required under state law. The Division of Elections has yet to say whether it intends follow the commission’s recommendation.

[Alaska campaign watchdog says Treg Taylor should not be allowed to run for governor]

In sixth is Republican former Labor Commissioner Click Bishop, who received 7% of the vote after receiving an early endorsement from a coalition of Alaska labor organizations. However, the Alaska AFL-CIO said this week that it was endorsing Kreiss-Tomkins, signaling that Bishop would not benefit from the same labor support if he advances to the November ballot.

Monday is the final day for Alaska candidates to drop out.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.