Following the count by Alaska’s Division of Elections, the House Majority Coalition announced it will take over leadership of the House and will work on exploding budgets for defined benefits for public employees.
The group has begun work on priorities of education, energy, retirement reform, and balanced budgets.
“We have a strong team with a bipartisan leadership, rural and urban representation, and are getting to work now to prepare for the session starting in January,” said Rep. Bryce Edgmon, who identified himself as “Speaker.” In fact, Rep. Cathy Tilton is still the speaker until the House gavels in on Jan. 21.
Edgmon was a Democrat but years ago reregistered as an undeclared candidate, which allows him to pretend he is not a Democrat and move back and forth with the power swings. From Dillingham, he was speaker from 2019-2021.
“Numerous Republican members have been in discussion about joining the caucus, and the House Majority welcomes all members who are committed to balanced budgets, education, energy, and retirement reform,” the press release from the caucus says.
It appears the House will be run by a Democrat and undeclared majority, much like the Senate, with a few Republican peeling off from the minority to join the caucus.
With both the House and Senate organizing as bipartisan caucuses with majority-Democrat members, Gov. Mike Dunleavy will have a challenge on his hands and may find it hard to get his legislation passed. He will likely be presented with a new defined benefits package for some state workers, and he may not have the votes to sustain a veto.
The next legislative session starts on Jan. 21 and runs through May 21.
Great. So there’s no hope.
Edgmon is a hard left Democrat, undeclared in name only (UINO). When Democrats form a coalition with a few Republicans, it simply means that Republicans must fall in line with the Democrat agenda. There are two ways to play this stupid game.
1. All Republicans join the coalition with Democrats and work internally to either get some Republican agenda passed, or secretly work to foil some of the Democrat agenda later in the session.
2. Stand firmly opposed to the coalition and work with Mike Dunleavy and the Trump Administration to block the Democrats agenda, every opportunity available.