During the Governor’s Forum hosted by Alaska Family Council, Republican Candidates for Governor discussed how they would address concerns with the judicial branch if they were elected as Governor.
Alaska Family Council hosted a Governor’s Forum on May 21, 2026, moderated by Editor of the Watchman Joel Davidson. Dave Bronson, Edna DeVries, Adam Crum, Matt Heilala, Shelley Hughes, and Bernadette Wilson participated in the forum, which focused on issues such as the right to life, school choice, Alaska Judicial Council concerns, Grand Jury rights, gender ideology, and election integrity.
The forum consisted of four parts: 1) questions asked by the moderator to all the candidates; 2) questions asked and answered beforehand, presented on a slideshow, 3) questions asked by a candidate to another candidate; and 3) a series of quick “yes or no” questions.
Part 1 contained seven questions. Read about questions 1-2 here: Governor’s Forum Part 1: Fighting the Court, Protecting Life at all Stages. Question 3 pertained to school choice, which will be covered in another report coming soon. Questions 4-5 asked candidates to explain how they would address Alaskans’ concerns with the judicial branch, specifically regarding the Alaska Judicial Council and the Supreme Court’s infringement on Grand Jury rights.
Question 4: Alaska Judicial Council
Q4: What will you do if the Alaska Judicial Council sends you judicial nominees with whom you fundamentally disagree? And from a broader perspective, which of the three choices would you prefer: 1) keeping our current Missouri Plan, 2) electing judges, 3) using a model whereby the Governor submits their own nominees that would need Legislative approval?
Hughes, Crum, and Wilson said they would prefer the Governor appoint judges and justices who would then go through a confirmation process with the Legislature. Wilson highlighted the need for a public campaign to inform Alaskans on the qualifications and track-records of judicial appointees, so that they can make an informed decision when voting “yes” or “no” to confirm.
DeVries and Bronson said they would prefer if judges and justices were elected. DeVries emphasized her opinion that judges and justices should campaign like other elected officials, so that the average Alaskan can be informed. She also declared her eagerness to restore Grand Jury rights. Bronson agreed with DeVries, saying electing judicial officers would “inject our voice into the process.”
Heilala said that the Judicial Council is not the root of the problem.
Question 5: Grand Jury Rights
Q5: What actions do you plan to take to restore the right of the Grand Jury to hear appeals directly from citizens, especially when there are allegations of judicial corruption?
Crum emphasized the need for the Executive branch to step in and stop judicial overreach. “It is the Governor’s job to enforce the Constitution,” he stated.
Heilala admitted, “There is no easy, perfect answer” to this problem, but says the solution would be centered around the Attorney General recognizing the issue as a priority.
DeVries highlighted the prior Attorney General’s efforts to produce a third-party, unbiased report on Alaska’s Grand Jury system. The report was published in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy and confirms much of the conservative stance on the issue.
Bronson declared forthrightly that the Alaska Supreme Court violated the Constitution with Rule 6.1 and SCO 1993.
Wilson said the Kenai Grand Jury report needs to be released. According to Wilson, there is only one person responsible for deciding whether or not a report gets released and that person has been in that position for 30 years. Hughes added that that person will be retiring soon, so there is an opportunity there.
Hughes also stated that she would apply pressure using the bully pulpit and instruct her Attorney General to not filter Grand Jury appeals.
More coverage to come.
