Kenai Sen. Jesse Bjorkman is facing formal censure proceedings from Republican Party leaders in his district over his decision to join a Democrat-led majority coalition in the State Senate — a move that local GOP leadership says violates party rules.
In a letter dated June 16, the chairs of Alaska Republican Party Districts 7 and 8 informed Bjorkman that their respective committees had voted unanimously to advance formal complaints filed by registered Republicans in his district.
The six signers, three from each district, accused Bjorkman of violating Article 7 of the Alaska Republican Party rules, specifically Section 1(e), which prohibits forming or joining a majority caucus in which non-Republicans make up one-third or more of the membership.
“Due to your joining, thereby enabling the Senate Democrat-led majority Caucus, both District Committees of Senate District D have voted unanimously to censure you for failing to adhere to our written rules,” the letter stated.
The document, signed by District 8 Chair Robert Wall and District 7 Chair Jeanne Reveal, notified Bjorkman that the party is initiating a formal disciplinary process and is providing him with at least 15 days’ notice to respond and appear before the committees.
The hearing date is July 3 at 5 pm at Paradiso’s Restaurant in Kenai. A Zoom link will also be provided to the senator, should he choose to attend remotely.
The party leaders emphasized that all required documentation — including the minutes from the district meetings, the signed complaints, and the formal notice — will be served to Bjorkman’s office in person, by registered mail, and via email.
Under party rules, censures can be initiated by district committees when an elected Republican official is alleged to have violated principles or operational guidelines laid out in the party’s bylaws. While a censure carries no legal penalty, it can be a significant political rebuke and may affect future support from the party organization.
Sen. Bjorkman, who was re-elected in 2024 to represent Senate District D, has not yet publicly responded to the allegations or the invitation to defend himself before the district committees. His current term ends on Jan. 16, 2029.
This development underscores ongoing tensions over members of the Republican Party enabling Democrats to effectively control both bodies of the Legislature, particularly in the Senate, where power-sharing arrangements with Democrats have caused friction between moderate lawmakers and a now-marginalized Republican minority.
Other Republican collaborators in the Senate include Kelly Merrick of Eagle River, Gary Stevens of Kodiak, Bert Stedman of Sitka, and Cathy Giessel of Anchorage.
What I really want to hear, which I have never heard so far at any point, is the supposed justification by these backstabbing Republican traitors like Bjorkman, Stutes and Merrick for WHY they spurned their voters and their supposed principles and caucused with the Democrats.
It would be interesting, and amusing, to hear their justifications for this action.
Merrick is clear cut. Public funding for unions. Like but not limited to the union her husband leads. Diverting the Permanent fund to public union employees and union contracts.
They did not “spurn” their voters. In the case of Merrick, she caucuses with the Dems in her first term, ran for re-election, and was elected AGAIN. The eagle river voters WANT HER TO CAUCUS with the Democrats. The voters approved her behavior and showed that by re-electing her. Same for Stutes though I don’t know about Bjorkman.
why is the GOP always happy to push the yoke full forward, crashing into the ground? any moderation or deviation from the party line instantly deemed being a traitorous? this state is sinking, who would think data is useful?
don’t modify the behavior, keep the poor folks leaving. this isn’t going to end well. being any degree of bipartisan should be viewed as helpful. the political purity tests remind useful to Stalin and his crew.
resource extraction by out of staters, ni income tax? kills the state in 20 years, one generation
Good I hope more Rino’s are on the list
Let’s hope something actually comes of this!
It’s been done before with much higher profile people.
About time there are consequences for flipping allegiance.
Both houses technically have R majorities, but their actions don’t look like it.
And there’s that weird, unnatural bit with the hands again. Is that some kind of masonic crap?
The Echo Chamber effect on this site is exceptionally strong. Perhaps almost half (5 of 11) of the Republicans in the Senate aren’t caucusing with the other Republicans because a majority of the voters in their districts prefer it that way? (plus 3/6 who don’t caucus with Democrats still voted to override the Governor’s BSA legislation veto. Only 3 senators out of 20 stood with him) The fact that people like Steadman and Stevens, who’ve been doing this for decades (and only idiots could act surprised by) keep getting reelected, not to mention Giessel (who lost, then got voted back in) or Merrick (who did this in the House, then Eagle River voters promoted to the Senate) would ALL seem to indicate that voters aren’t surprised or disappointed by their behaviors – those are the behaviors they want to see. But sure, go ahead and keep undermining Republicans chances to actually lead – the city manager saga in Mat Su shows what Governance led by subscribers to this site are capable of achieving when left to their own devices… When was the last time we had a Democratic Governor, or a majority of Legislators who were Democrat? Alaska’s failing education system and bottom barrel test scores are OBVIOUSLY a Republican legacy, as are our dwindling PFD’s and oil revenues. Conservatives need to get our heads out of our asses and build a majority public and legislative support for solutions if we want to recapture the legacies of Hickle and Hammond. OR, you know, we could keep this sheeet show rolling and let the Dems take the wheel in the next 6-8 years, cause that is the direction we are headed. At least in 20 years we might finally be able to legitimately blame another political party, once they take control and start making their own mistakes 😛
What? Another favorite useful tool in the Democrats shed discovered by the Republicans?
Bjorkman’s voting record is totally Democrat. The leftist Peninsula Clarion rag fawns all over this guy. Total RINO.
Anyone who voted to take money from Alaskans PFD to pay the education system without any performance criteria or accountability, needs to be censured.
Stupid party rule. Why foster division over cooperation?
Each red district with a traitor rino should follow suit. These trucks need flushing.