By SUZANNE DOWNING
In Alaska, where nearly half the electorate is Undeclared or Nonpartisan, Republicans cannot afford to fracture.
When a Republican legislator cuts a deal with Democrats for a committee gavel, they hand over legislative control, give away key votes, and betray the people who elected them. It is political ambition at the expense of principle, and it changes the direction of our state.
The mechanics are simple: A small number of Republicans agree to caucus with Democrats in exchange for leadership roles or committee assignments. This flips the balance of power, shifts control of the legislative calendar, and places Republican priorities in the hands of those who oppose them. It has happened in both the House and the Senate, flipping control of key committees and burying conservative bills while advancing policies directly opposed to the Republican platform.
Every time this happens, Republican legislators who stay loyal to the caucus lose committee seats, bill hearings, and negotiating leverage. Conservative legislation gets buried while Democrat priorities move to the front of the line. The result is a Republican minority forced to fight uphill battles in a Legislature that should reflect the majority of voters who elected them. It is not just an internal party problem; it is a direct hit to the voters who sent Republicans to Juneau expecting a Republican-led agenda.
Defections do more than weaken party unity, they hurt districts. When a legislator defects, his/her vote helps advance budgets and policies that raise costs, expand bureaucracy, and erode individual freedoms. This can include supporting binding caucus rules that punish legislators for voting their conscience, voting for budgets that spend beyond sustainable limits, and blocking efforts to protect the Permanent Fund Dividend.
These aren’t abstract political maneuvers; they are decisions that cost Alaskans real money and undermine trust in government.
This problem is not about coalition-building for the greater good. It is about personal ambition and the lure of a gavel, a title, or influence within a committee room.
Some legislators, such as Sen. Jesse Bjorkman of Nikiski, justify it as “working across the aisle.” In reality, it is surrendering power to those with a very different vision for Alaska. When Republicans defect, they tell voters that titles matter more than the promises they made on the campaign trail.
Today — Saturday — the Republican State Central Committee voted to uphold District 7 and 8’s censure of Sen. Bjorkman during its meeting. Bjorkman was there to defend himself, and the reasons he gave for leaving his fellow Republican Senators in the minority demonstrated this culture of ambition. It is a clear example of how personal political goals can outweigh the responsibility to stand with your caucus and your voters.
Undeclared and Nonpartisan voters decide elections in Alaska. They expect honesty and integrity from the people they send to Juneau. When they see Republicans break their word, they do not just punish that legislator; they question whether the party stands for anything at all. That is how you lose not only swing voters, but also the base that fuels campaigns and turns out on Election Day.
If Republicans want to earn and keep the trust of Alaskans, they must close ranks after the election, keep their word, and lead with the principles they ran on. Defections might serve one politician’s ambition, but they weaken the entire team and shift Alaska’s future into the hands of those who will take it in the wrong direction.
Suzanne Downing is the founder of Must Read Alaska and serves as editor.