On Saturday, Jan 10, the Alaska Young Republicans hosted their State Convention featuring a panel of ten of the twelve Republican gubernatorial candidates for this year’s election: Bernadette Wilson, Adam Crum, Edna DeVries, Matt Heilala, Shelley Hughes, Click Bishop, Treg Taylor, Dave Bronson, James Parkin IV, and Bruce Walden. Candidates for Governor Nancy Dahlstrom and Hank Henry Kroll did not participate in the event.
After speeches from Nick Begich III and Dan Sullivan, Alaska Young Republican Chair Jarrett Freeman led the gubernatorial candidate panel. Question #1 was “Who are you and what do people misunderstand about you?”. Please read Alaska Young Republican State Convention Part I: Who Are the 2026 Gubernatorial Candidates? to learn how the candidates answered Question #1 and to read highlights from Begich’s and Sullivan’s speeches.
Question #2: Alaska’s Biggest Challenge
Question #2 was addressed specifically to Shelley Hughes, Adam Crum, Treg Taylor, and Bernadette Wilson. The question: What is the biggest challenge Alaska faces in the next 5 years?
Shelley Hughes identified affordability as the biggest challenge Alaska faces. She talked about the need for cheap energy, affordable homes, and job opportunities, especially for people on Medicaid. Acknowledging that many Alaskans on Medicaid want to work, Shelley emphasized the importance of getting these people into good paying jobs and off government assistance.
Adam Crum also identified affordability as the biggest challenge but focused his answer on the problem of high energy costs.
Treg Taylor agreed with Hughes and Crum about the need for affordability and reliable energy but added that lack of infrastructure and a dwindling workforce are among the top challenges Alaska faces.
Bernadette Wilson identified a lack of leadership to be the biggest challenge Alaska faces in the next five years. Wilson emphasized that no amount of problem-identifying and problem-solving will mean anything without an effective leader.
Next in Series
Keep an eye out for Part III featuring Click Bishop, Bruce Walden, Dave Bronson, and Matt Heilala and where they think current leadership has gotten it right versus where it is falling short.
Affordable housing? What kind of lip service BS is that? Property assessments and subsequent taxes are going through the roof all along the rail belt with no end in sight. Greedy local government taking our assets by force while offering us protection. Protection from them taking our assets if we don’t pay them. Sound familiar?