The Alaska House Democratic Campaign Committee, made up of Democrat House members and politicos from around the state, has picked two candidates to back so far in the 2026 election cycle:
- Cliff Groh, who served one term as a House member for North Anchorage District 18 before being bounced by Republican Rep. David Nelson during the 2024 election cycle. But it was a very close race: Nelson won by 23 votes.
- Katherine Simpler, who is running to replace Rep. Louise Stutes, who has filed for the Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Gary Stevens. Simpler is not a Democrat but is a nonpartisan — a category often adopted by those who are fearful of the Democrat brand’s negative connotations.
Simpler is a union activist for the National Education Association, where she is listed as as a “representative on the NEA Board of Directors, the top decision making body of our national affiliate which includes at least one director from each state affiliate.”
She began her career teaching in Kodiak in 1996 and now serves as her school district’s migrant education facilitator. She has served as NEA-Alaska Region 2 director. Since 2022, she has represented NEA-Alaska as its director, advocating for the union’s priorities at the national level. The NEA’s political arm will be bringing a lot of cash for her in this race.
At its most recent national meeting, the NEA voted to fight President Donald Trump and his facism (sic) by using the word “facism”:
“NEA pledges to defend democracy against Trump’s embrace of fascism by using the term facism in NEA materials to correctly characterize Donald Trump’s program and actions,” the resolution states.
Kodiak-Seward-Cordova District 5 voted for Trump in 2024 — 54.3% to Kamala Harris’ 41.5%, which nearly mirrors the state’s overall results of 54.5% to 41.4%, but the district also voted for Stutes, who is well known for aligning with Democrats.
Also filed for the Kodiak seat is Republican Sheldon Prout, who has been on staff for Vice President JD Vance, and Republican Aimee Williams, the borough manager.
Both Groh and Simpler have received $5,000 donations to their campaign accounts from the House Democrats.
The Democrats’ donations are not small amounts. Although Groh raised $213,000 for his 2024 election campaign, which he lost by 23 votes, Nelson, who beat him, raised less than $38,000.
Stutes raised less than $20,000 for her last House race in 2024. Sen. Gary Stevens raised $117,000 for his reelection in 2022.
When will we learn to keep the school teachers out of politics, just look at all the cr// we are getting from Giessel and the NEA
And don’t forget about Bjorkman. He’s a schoolteacher also. I sure hope he doesn’t get another term. RINO deluxe.
Costello, too
Yeah, why would we let a teacher be in politics. I think that our Governor, who is one of the good ones, should ban all teachers from being democrats or vice versa. Very glad there are other patriots who want to protect democracy by doing what is necessary, banning groups of people from participating.
So stupid that people think money will get them elected, Harris for example Spent a lot of money on lies and look what happen, Democrats need to spend all that money then lose It’s fun to watch
The TEACHER CRAP is bipartisan, Teacher GOVERNOR Donlevey allowed them to move the ball forward for 8 Years. The more he promised a full PFD, with back pay, the less we got. And the more they got. The Alaska State Employee’s Union, runs this State. Just ask YUNT, Jubilee, and Elexie. The New Valley RINOS.
Obviously there are plenty of flakes out there to choose from!
The number of flakes available is high, while the bar is very low for real world achievements.
Expose these two cockroaches for who they are. And be ready to write a check to their opponents’ campaigns. Or we’ll have to deal with these two along with the RINOs who will cozy up next to them in the name of bipartisanship, whatever that means now.
The gay flag is a nice touch. Looks like a wimp to me.
Conversely the Republicans will make certain to have at least three candidates for every seat, winnable or not, who will spend all their time debating who is most pro-life while blowing up an inordinate amount of balloons and waving flags. On the first Wednesday in November they will then wonder why they are still in the minority to a party they outnumber 2-1. The lesson they will take is they need even more balloons and stricter purity tests.
Joe, absolutely correct! Great comment.
We have in Alaska, a two party system, an evil party and a stupid party.
Republicans are the stupid party.
Whatever Joe.
It’s surprising, “Electred by the Board of Education”??…I thought Trump destroyed the Dept of Education. Trump
“Simpler is not a Democrat but is a nonpartisan — a category often adopted by those who are fearful of the Democrat brand’s negative connotations.”
How is Louise Stutes any different?
A conservative must run for that seat.
“Simpler is not a Democrat but is a nonpartisan — a category often adopted by those who are fearful of the Democrat brand’s negative connotations.”
Also is manner in which Democrats like to use in order to get people to vote for them with the intention of leading Conservatives to vote for them thinking that maybe they are not the scoundrels that they really are!! Then if they happen to win they go right back to their Democrat run BS!! Our state needs to go full Republican!!! Wake up people!!