As soon as the Legislature adjourned on Tuesday, Rep. Louise Stutes, a registered Republican who has caucused with the Democrats for all of her career, quietly filed to run for Senate.
The seat she would serve in is now occupied by Senate President Gary Stevens, who has been rumored to be retiring.
Sen. Stevens, also a Republican, represents Senate District C, which includes Kodiak, Homer, Seward, and Cordova. He is 83 and has served in the Alaska Legislature since 2001, first in the House and then in the Senate beginning in 2003. Whether he would want to run again in 2026 is unlikely, as it would set him up to serve into his late 80s.
Stevens has held the position of Senate President multiple times, most recently during the current session, which will reconvene in January after gaveling out on Tuesday.
Rep. Stutes has represented Kodiak in the Alaska House of Representatives since 2015 and served as House Speaker from 2021 to 2023. Throughout her tenure, she has been primarily associated with Democrat policies and political alliances and is the remaining member of what was dubbed the “Muskox Caucus” of left-leaning Republicans that broke away from the Republican majority in 2016.
The Republican Party needs to pull all support from everyone one of these members and ban them from party. They are just using the party name to get elected but are RINOS that are driving Republican support for the party away. I have resigned from the GOP party after over 50 years of support. I tired of electing a GOP majority only to have them support the Democrats. Get rid of them and Murkowski also.
Yep. James Kaufman and Will Stapp need to GO! Cowards voting against our Governor’s veto and for gutting our PFDs!
The local Republican District Committee in Kodiak supported Gary Stevens, just like they have & will support Louise Stutes & Lisa Murkowski. Even if those candidates were censured they would continue to support them on the QT. For some reason the electorate in Kodiak goes with that. As far as the party goes new, more conservative people, would need to start serving on the District Committee there to help support conservative Republican candidates & issues. Maybe everybody there likes it just the way it is? I don’t know.
It’s a completely different story on the Homer side of the inlet where Sarah Vance is the Rep & the Republican District Committee is extremely conservative, well organized & has a very active membership. These committees are part of the state GOP but are entirely locally influenced. So while the state GOP plays a huge role it’s not the whole deal. The local political environment at the district level is also very important. It is extremely frustrating to watch but it is what it is.
Really revved up comment that is detached from reality.
There are undoubtedly abundant reasons why the constituents in these districts like and continue to re-elect individuals like Stevens and Stutes.
Stop whining about Stutes and Stevens or for that matter someone in the Republican Party who somehow doesn’t measure up to you ideological expectations.
Move to Kodiak if you think your orientation is what the electorate want and see how your message resonates next election cycle.
In the meantime, stop whining.
The GOP in Alaska needs to encourage and recruit “new blood”. So far, both parties prop up the same old names.
Oh great! Another RINO herding over to the Senate. She has powerful name recognition while doing virtually nothing for the conservative cause. She’s a shoe-in and unlikely to be primaried. Though if sacrificing a couple live chickens to Jobu could make that happen, I’d be willing.
Good time to get rid of both of them!
Traitors all. Dishonest all. No integrity for the GOP. Damn the caucus.
We the people have to get up , rise up, and take our seats in the house, senate back from these career controllers. Shame on them. Power has corrupted each one. They have forgotten who they represent. Shame on them.
Glad the kodiak guy leaving. He always votes with the democrats. Worthless. And the lady not sure about her but think she votes with the democrats too
Kodiakers please organize now to defeat her. She not well liked on the island outside of those who benefit from her corruption. And what corruption it is. Her house by the ocean is huge.
One RINO after another Alaska is doomed unless they move the Capitol to the road system
Is she a Graduate of the Gabriel LeDoux —-Kodiak Political School. Majoring in Two Faced Politics