Nine senators form the Senate Republican Caucus for the 35th Alaska Legislature. The Caucus is united around a simple goal: a state government that works for the Alaskans who live, work, and raise families here.
The caucus has chosen its leadership team:
- Senator Jesse Bjorkman (R – Nikiski), Minority Leader
- Senator Rob Yundt (R – Wasilla), Minority Whip
- Senator Bert Stedman (R – Sitka), Minority Finance Lead
“Alaskans deserve a government that gets the basics right, an economy that rewards hard work, and a future worth building right here at home,” said Minority Leader Bjorkman. “We are nine senators committed to practical solutions that strengthen our communities and create opportunity.”
Four Priorities
Opportunity for working families and seniors. Make Alaska a place where hard work pays off by encouraging investment, supporting good-paying jobs, and keeping taxes and the cost of living down.
Schools that deliver excellent opportunities and results. Give students and their families the support they need with a focus on effective teaching and accountable student achievement that prepares young Alaskans for the future.
Resource development that puts Alaskans first. Develop Alaska’s resources responsibly, creating jobs, and attracting investment so that Alaskans share in the wealth of their state.
Government that is effective and responsible. Deliver the services Alaskans depend on, including safe roads, strong schools, and reliable public safety, while cutting waste and putting downward pressure on the budget.
Investing in What Matters
The Caucus recognizes that roads, schools, public safety, and infrastructure require adequate funding. These are the core responsibilities of state government, and they come first.
Investing in essential services is not the same as expanding government. The Senate Republican Caucus will seek to cut wasteful spending and critically weigh any proposal for new revenue against a simple standard: does it deliver results for Alaskans, and does it help working families and the economy? Any surplus or new revenue should go to core services, not to growing government.
“We have real needs in this state, and meeting them costs money,” Bjorkman said. “Every dollar the government collects is a dollar a family or a business could have invested in its own future. Government must not ask workers and job-creating businesses to pay more before it shows results from what it already has and presents a clear plan for how new revenue will grow our economy, create jobs, and help working families succeed.”
Minority Whip Yundt said the Caucus will focus on easing the burden on families. “Working families are already paying enough,” he said. “They need good jobs, affordable homes, and a chance to get ahead. We should make it easier to build a business and raise a family in Alaska, not more expensive.”
Senator Stedman stressed discipline and planning. “Alaska must live within its means while investing in what keeps our economy moving,” he said. “That means maintaining our infrastructure, meeting our obligations, and making sure every dollar has a purpose.”
