Today, September 15, former gubernatorial candidate and Senate Majority Leader Shelley Hughes announced her endorsement of Treg Taylor for Governor and also encouraged conservative voters to rank all three Republican candidates to avoid exhausted ballots benefiting the Democrat candidate Jonathon Kreiss-Tomkins.
Taylor commented on the endorsement: “Shelley’s vetting was tough and thorough, and I’m honored to have passed the test. I’m proud we see eye-to-eye on values and on concrete policy solutions that will make Alaskans’ lives better and our state stronger. Earning her support matters. She is well loved and respected across Alaska. I know her endorsement will carry weight. Thank you, Shelley.”
Hughes looked for the candidate who best matches her values, who “has not been mudslinging, including through surrogates,” and who is free from baggage and skeletons.
“The first half of my assessment boiled down to who was the most electable,” Hughes said. “With a socialist-leaning liberal in the race, the stakes are high. A far-left governor would be devastating: income taxes, other taxes, suppressed resource development, more wokeism and failure in our schools. I needed to get behind the most electable candidate—the one right-of-center and moderate voters can get across the finish line.”
The second half of her assessment was policy. “I was only going to stick my neck out if a candidate committed to implementing some of the specific proposals and plans my campaign team worked hard to develop to get Alaska on track,” Hughes said. She stressed this was not about her former ticket. It was about Alaska and clear, practical solutions.
“I had encouraged the remaining candidates to take up any of the action steps my team and I proposed,” she continued. “Treg is the only one who did. He not only met the high bar I set on character and electability, but what excites me most is his commitment to the feasible plans we offered—to address decades-old problems, to begin work for future decades, to build an economy of strength and resilience, and to secure freedom and opportunity for Alaskans for generations.”
Taylor added: “The policy proposals Shelley offered make sense. We need the Sunset Audit Commission to drive agency efficiency and cost savings. I am committed to a constitutional framework for grand juries. No more filtering. It will be an open door, a pathway to uphold citizens’ rights. A full energy portfolio. Alaska lands in Alaskan hands. A shift to abundance management for fish and game. A stronger agriculture sector, increased food security. I’m excited—and the time is right—to work with the private sector to connect our rail to the Lower 48 and to the Port of Nome. Positioning Alaska as the intercontinental transportation hub of the Northern Hemisphere will lower the cost of goods in Alaska, open new sites for responsible resource development, and strengthen our transportation system so Alaska exports become a reality.”
Hughes’ former running mate, Blake Gettys, joins her to support Taylor. “Shelley and I are together on this. We’ll both rank the right, but the Taylor/English ticket will be our top choice,” Gettys said. “Trust is paramount. Treg will be a governor I can trust to fight for us and to be effective through strong relationships and common-sense, actionable policy.
Hughes will be ranking Treg Taylor #1 and ranking Bronson and Wilson after Taylor. She did not specify which order she would rank Wilson and Bronson but emphasized the importance of conservative voters ranking all three Republican candidates to avoid exhausted ballots. Exhausted ballots occur when a voter’s first choice is eliminated in one of the rounds and the voter did not choose a second choice. These ballots do not count toward the final tally— reducing the number of conservative votes counted toward the final outcome of the election.
More Conservatives Speak on the Winning Strategy
Greg Sarber, conservative writer and former board member of Alaska Gold Communications, Inc.: Opinion: Conservative Alaskans need to vote strategically for Governor
Jim Minnery, President of Alaska Family Council: Opinion: Alaska Family Council speaks on governor’s race, invites Christians to prayer gathering
Dr. George B. Hightower, former 2026 candidate for Lt. Governor: Opinion: The governor’s race is a fight for freedom; here’s how to win
Jon Faulkner, President of Alaska Gold Communications, Inc.: Opinion: An Obi-Wan Kenobi moment for the Taylor/English campaign
Todd Lindley, Vice President of Alaska Gold Communication, Inc.: Opinion: We can win with the right mindset— policy over person
Must Read Alaska unequivocally supports the election of a conservative to the Office of Governor but does not endorse a particular gubernatorial candidate. MRAK encourages voters to rank all three Republicans in their preferred order to avoid exhausted ballots.
