Election roundup: GCI executives spend big on legislative races and coalition candidates continue out-raising conservatives

Executives at Alaska’s biggest telecommunications company are spending massive sums ahead of the election.

An independent expenditure group formed earlier this month called the Conservative Leadership Team Political Action Committee. The group, which is chaired by House Speaker Cathy Tilton, a Wasilla Republican, was funded in short order with $28,500, much of it from GCI executives.

Ronald Duncan, the chief executive of GCI, gave the group $7,500. Gregory Chapados, president of GCI, also gave $7,500. Kristopher Knauss, a lobbyist whose company has a $60,000-per-year annual contract with GCI, gave the group $5,000.

The group then proceeded to dole out the funding in $1,000 increments to 18 Republican legislative candidates. The funding comes as GOP candidates have lagged behind their nonpartisan or Democratic opponents in many key legislative races.

This is not the only group through which GCI executives have sought to sway the results of the election. A group called Citizens for Competition registered earlier this year to “promote the business interests of GCI.”

The group has since reported more than $87,000 in contributions from GCI employees, including $10,000 from Duncan, $5,000 from Chapados and $1,000 each from Knauss and a handful of GCI vice presidents. Dozens of other GCI employees contributed.

The money then flowed to several legislative candidates. Most are Republicans, but several are Democrats and independents — primarily from rural districts, where GCI is often the sole telecommunications provider, offering costly but critical services to villages and school districts.

Duncan separately contributed $17,000 directly to candidates in 2024 alone. The money went to three Democrats, an independent, and a dozen Republicans. Chapados also sent $23,000 directly to candidates running in the November election. The money was directed to 22 candidates, including three Democrats and two independents.

Big-figure spending by GCI and its executives is not new. But the stakes are higher than ever. The federal government is sending billions of dollars to Alaska for expanding internet access in rural parts of the state, and much of those funds will benefit GCI. The company also benefits from millions of dollars in annual state and federal spending to help rural school districts pay for internet connectivity.

But satellite internet access — already on offer through Starlink — stands to affect GCI’s chokehold on connectivity in rural Alaska. Some school districts are turning away from their seven-figure contracts with GCI in favor of Starlink, raising questions about the state’s future telecommunication policies and spending.

Big spending, no strings attached

One Anchorage resident has spent $186,000 on Alaska’s legislative races this year.

Justin Weaver divided the spending between 19 legislative candidates in competitive races. The candidates he supported include Democrats, Republicans and independents who have all favored the formation of bipartisan coalitions in the House and Senate, and who have spoken in favor of permanently increasing the state’s education spending.

“I did not make my selections based on anything except that they wanted to work in the coalition to keep government happening and that they would support overriding the veto on the education bill,” said Weaver, referring to a vote earlier this year in which lawmakers failed by a single vote to override Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s veto of a permanent increase to the state’s education funding formula.

Weaver is independently wealthy but says he does not have any business interests in the state, and does not intend to travel to Juneau while lawmakers in session to lobby for any causes.

“I have no plans of any kind post-election for any interaction with any of the candidates,” said Weaver.

The funding includes; $19,500 to Ted Eischeid, an Anchorage Democrat running to unseat Republican incumbent Rep. Stanley Wright; $19,000 to Eagle River Republican incumbent Sen. Kelly Merrick, who is being challenged by hardline Republican Jared Goecker; $16,000 to Anchorage Republican Chuck Kopp, who is challenging the more conservative GOP incumbent Rep. Craig Johnson; $13,000 to Walter Featherly, an Anchorage independent running to unseat Republican incumbent Rep. Julie Coulombe; and $13,000 to Robyn Burke, a Democrat running to unseat Republican-turned-independent Rep. Thomas Baker.

Coalition candidates maintain fundraising edge

Helped in part by Weaver, Alaska’s moderate and left-leaning candidates are heading into the final days of campaigning with a fundraising advantage.

Fundraising reports submitted a week before Election Day show that Fairbanks Republicans Leslie Hajdukovich, who is challenging Democratic incumbent Sen. Scott Kawasaki, was the top fundraiser, with more than $217,000 raised as of Tuesday. But in numerous other competitive races, Democrats, independents, and moderate Republicans had significantly out-raised their more conservative opponents.

Kawasaki, facing Hajdukovich, raised nearly $192,000 with a week to go, making that race the most expensive one this cycle.

Anchorage Democratic Sen. Matt Claman took second place in fundraising rankings, with a haul of nearly $209,000. He faces GOP challenger Liz Vazquez, who has reported raising only $14,000.

Anchorage Democrat Denny Wells reported a fundraising haul of nearly $199,000 in his run for an open House seat. He faces Republican former lawmaker Mia Costello, who raised $44,725.

Eagle River Sen. Kelly Merrick, a Republican member of the Senate bipartisan coalition, reported raising nearly $181,000. She faces a challenge from Republican Jared Goecker, who has criticized Merrick’s bipartisanship. Goecker reported just over $118,000 in fundraising.

Walter Featherly, a nonpartisan candidate for an Anchorage House seat, reported nearly $161,000 in fundraising. He faces GOP incumbent Rep. Julie Coulombe, who reported raising nearly $75,000.

On the line is control of Alaska’s House and Senate. The House has been controlled for the past two years by a predominantly Republican majority. But moderate members of the Legislature and political spenders see promise in the prospect of flipping enough seats to create a path toward a bipartisan coalition in the chamber next year.

Seats that could flip include House District 40, currently held by independent Thomas Baker, who was previously a registered Republican and was appointed to the seat late last year by Gov. Mike Dunleavy. Baker reported just over $11,000 in fundraising, while his Democratic opponent Robyn Burke raised $79,000. Another Democratic opponent, Saima Chase, raised nearly $9,000.

Another seat with potential to flip is House District 9, currently held by Republican Rep. Laddie Shaw, who is not seeking reelection. Anchorage independent candidate Ky Holland reported nearly $125,000 in fundraising as he seeks the open Hillside seat. He faces Republican Lucy Bauer, who raised just over $76,000, including more than $35,000 from the candidate herself.

Republicans are likely to gain a Southeast seat currently held by independent Rep. Dan Ortiz of Ketchikan, who is not seeking reelection. Republican candidate Jeremy Bynum reported raising $86,000. Two nonpartisan candidates seeking the seat — Grant EchoHawk and Agnes Moran — reported far less in campaign income and spending.