If you have the votes, vote. If you don’t have the votes, talk. The Legislature didn’t talk much and moved swiftly Saturday, overriding two of Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s vetoes in a special session that lasted less than 30 minutes. They knew they had the votes.
Lawmakers restored a $200 increase to the Base Student Allocation, a key component of state education funding. The override required 45 votes from the combined House and Senate and passed with exactly that number. Only 59 lawmakers were present, with Sen. Mike Shower excused.
Several Republicans became the “Overriders Caucus,” joining Democrats in the vote to dismiss the governor’s education spending veto. In the House, Republican Reps. Jeremy Bynum, Bill Elam, Chuck Kopp, David Nelson, Justin Ruffridge, Dan Saddler, Will Stapp, Julie Coulombe, and Louise Stutes supported the override. In the Senate, Republican Sens. Rob Yundt, Mike Cronk, James Kaufman, Cathy Giessel, Jesse Bjorkman, Kelly Merrick, Bert Stedman, and Gary Stevens also voted in favor.
In further defiance of the governor, none of his education policy legislative items were even addressed. The governor had even offered to withdraw his veto of the part of the extra funding if he could get movement on charter schools and tribal compacting.
Evidently the Democrats and enabling Republicans were not interested.
The second override concerned Senate Bill 183, which addresses how the executive branch delivers reports to the Legislative Budget and Audit Committee. Lawmakers have expressed frustration over receiving reports in formats they find difficult to work with. The override may lead to a legal challenge, as it touches on the balance of power between the legislative and executive branches.
Again, several Republicans voted to override their Republican governor. They were: Jeremy Bynum, Chuck Kopp, David Nelson, Justin Ruffridge, Dan Saddler, and Louise Stutes. In the Senate, the overrider Republicans were Jesse Bjorkman, Cathy Giessel, James Kaufman, Kelly Merrick, Bert Stedman, Gary Stevens, and Rob Yundt.
Many legislators had predicted a brief “override and out” session—and that’s exactly what they delivered.
We will need a good challenger for Kaufman in my district.
There is only one thing Republicans can be reliably be: disappointing. It has always been thus.
I was reliably impressed by the intelligence and character of both Don Young and Ted Stevens.
Dunleavy? You’re entirely correct. The man couldn’t lead his way out of a paper bag, a constant disappointment now trying to grow the size of our state government by executive order. What is happening to conservatives in Alaska?!?
Buddy you don’t fool anyone, you have a history of exclusive supporting RINO’s in these comments and hating actual conservatives. The Republican you like is one that bows to a Democrat.
Their votes show what they stand for. Those who voted for this all in the first place and those who voted to override showed that paying off the unions is all that mattered. They don’t care at all about educating children.
Conservatives…..this is not acceptable!
The next election cycle better put FEAR in every incumbent!
Education is not going to be fixed by throwing money at the problem.
Start bringing in new teachers that aren’t on the Liberal Agenda to Dumb-down Children!
Money can come AFTER grades and testing scores start coming back up.
We have to do it for the next generation!
Hmmmmmm.
More than “several” Republicans voted to override the Governor’s veto.
The Governor’s call for a Special Session was poorly conceived and obviously backfired.
Michael J. Dunleavy: Putting the lame in Lame Duck.
Joe, it was done by design. Guv knew what was coming down. Exposing RINOs and setting stage for upcoming campaigns is what this was all about. Smart guy like you falling for this……?
😆
Possible, of course, this was always the strategy.
Funding for public schools, when polled generically, is almost always very popular. That is a reflection of public sentiment and opinion a why a large number of Republicans voted to override the Governor’s reduction.
I’m not sure this vote exposes anything politically. Folks prone to chipping their teeth about Republicans who voted to override characterize these Republican legislators as RINOs for other reasons and are already hacked off.
This will predictably play out and a bunch of Republicans with a strong ideological bent will be disappointed.
But he is getting one over on them! Now they’re technically in session, but in no position to re-reject his executive order adding a new Department to AK state gov.
Bet they didn’t see that coming! Hah! 4D chess my guy 😉
Man! Rob Yundt ran specifically on a platform designed to appeal to Republican voters. Almost immediately he turns his coat to the left: and literally as soon as he gets in office! He needs to be the Alaskan poster boy for a dishonest, lying politician, from now on!
He can hold Lisa’s hand on that poster, lovely couple.
No surprise here. We no longer have many real republicans in legislature, only RINOS.. typical politicians, keep throwing taxpayer money at thw problem until no one wants to hear about it anymore. Mean whole AK public schools continue to produce ideological students.
Exactly right. Alaska republicans need to …? How do you fix it ?
Bring these people to Anchorage for their meetings, no reason to have two offices. So we can have a meet and great after their stupid votes. Time to shut down Juneau, as access is not constitutionally fair
The legislature failed to provide for a path for where the revenue was going to come from to cover the cost of their votes, so now what? These idiots cannot be balancing their own bank accounts, they must be packing them full of graft so they don’t have to do so.
Robert–the funding was already included in the budget that passed the legislature before Dunleavy’s vetoes. The governor’s vetoes created a surplus, and now, the budget is balanced.
Don’t they still have to address the Department of Ag as this was an item brought forward by the governor as a topic of the special session?
No.
No surprise there… fiscally irresponsible individuals continue to reward fiscal irresponsibility… with more fiscal irresponsibility. Won’t change until voters wake up and vote for fiscal responsibility and transparency.
Great results! Nice to see some pushback on Dunleavy’s lame duck quackery.
YUNDT always votes democrat. What a disgrace
Why don’t they just switch parties and become democrats. Maybe their voters would be a little less disappointed.
The criminals in the legislature are laughing at us as they steal our money and enrich themselves and their allies. It is disgusting.
In reality Micah, that is exactly what Congressional Republicans are doing.
Made my day.
Why do Republicans turn on each other? Is it so they look compassionate to Democrat ideals? So they can look like compromising fools? Dunleavy shows his grits by standing up to the Democrats and the propogandist left-wing media, only to be taken down by members of his own party. This happens a lot in Alaska ……the purple state. I have marked each of these traitorous RINOs. They will not get my vote, nor my money. Ever. And if you ask for an example as to how my commitment has ever made a difference…….I will tell you to look at former state senator John Coghill. I did not vote for him in 2020, but rather for Rob Meyers…..who won. And in 2024, I did not vote for him for Borough Mayor in Fairbanks, but rather I left my ballot blank in that race. Coghill lost. The bottom line is, I can make a difference by not voting for RINOs.
You got it, Patriot. This is designed and staged by Dunleavy ……getting ready for 2026.
Great news! Now the school districts will never again complain about insufficient funding, and all of our children will perform above average. Right???
I wonder how many of the overriders get donations from the school unions…
Remember the names that claim to be Republicans in names only. No accountability for education reform. No wonder more parents are opting for other choices.
Bjorkman, Giessel, Kaufman, Merrick ,Stedman, Stevens, all Yundts
If you run as a Republican, you should sign a BINDING CONTACT, that you will RESIGN IMMEDIATELY if you CAUCUS with the. DEMOCRATS. That is the only way to stop this BETRAYAL
When the Governor reaches the point where he cannot hold sixteen Republicans together to sustain his veto, he needs to seriously think about changing his approach. Once to veto overrides get going, they will become more frequent and the Guv will lose control over the purse strings and a whole lot more. Time to learn from this experience; “doubling down” will not work anymore.
And their “leader” , Costello, couldn’t hold them together to support the veto, even though she voted to uphold it. I emailed her about not supporting, and she even replied.
Dunleavy was justifiably punked by the Legislature that he ignored while it was in session last winter.
Instead of carefully negotiating his goals when he had the opportunity to do so, he attempted a fast move by calling a special session, then urging friendly legislators not to attend. He backtracked on that strategy when the mainstream press publicized it and everyone – including his allies – saw what a dumb idea it was. The momentum he tried to establish failed to materialize.
And now he goes back to his office on Monday facing the facts: “Nobody likes me OR respects me…”
There’s your list of turncoat Rino’s!
Remember them next election. All the more reason to sign the “ Get Rid of RCV petition!!
Yep…. cause fewer options will improve your party.
Correct Chris we do not need the rino option.
Even a liberal should be able to understand that.
Fewer options and actual voting. Rigged choice voting is not voting.
What a waste of money! Never gets anything done on time, Always over spending, and now not even able to do their job. WE need to vote ALL of them out before our state becomes “the toilet bowl ” anchorage has become…
The school union owns these guys, shame on them🤷🏼⏳time to find the brave people who will demand the schools teach the basic concepts and get rid of the woke agenda 🕵🏻♂️🚧 AGAIN ITS TIME TO MOVE THE CAPITAL SO EVERYONE CAN SEE THE FILTHY DEEDS 💸💸💸 IN PERSON ☝️👨🏻💻🕵🏻♂️⏳
Can you please explain what this woke agenda is that is being taught in the schools?
Anchorage???? My Gosh. As I read the continuing MRA articles on the political/Social status of that “Pit”, I’m amazed any such suggestion would come from a knowing person.
Not any happier with Juneau, why spend any on change for change sake.
Cheers,
Al-Ketchikan
Senator Kaufman wasted no time sending out a mealy mouthed email trying to explain that somehow his vote today was because he really supports education reform as well as more funding. Evidently in James Kaufman’s mind it’s best practice to vote to give the cash but not to connect it to any kind of policy conditions. Pathetic!
I might note that the same email contains an advert to attend a “community event” hosted by himself and Rep. Columbine at the zoo this week.
Coincidentally the advert indicates that ASD will also be there…Isn’t that an interesting coincidence?
Thanks, you losers
It is worth reviewing:
“Alaska students posted some of the lowest scores in the country in national reading and math test results released Wednesday. The National Assessment of Educational Progress is typically given every two years to fourth and eighth grade students. Alaska students ranked 49th out of 50 states in mos…Jan 31, 2025”
Legislators are not our friends on this issue. They’ve failed us, and our kids.
At this point Dunleavy should consider resigning. He’s so ineffective that on an issue like this, it should have been an easy job getting at least a majority of legislators on board. But Dunleavy couldn’t even get the majority of Republicans on board.
It would follow his pattern, climb the ranks and once he starts failing he resigns. He is a prime example of the peter principle.
SD, can you run an article that asks these repubs why they voted this way?
And Suzanne can you post a list of these turncoats before elections.
Just a simple list of any GOP politician who voted Dem.
No political details, just the names.
For us simple folk who don’t want to read a good book instead reading about crooked politicians.
I can never remember who all the rino’s are or what district, there are SO many of them.
Thank You.
The public education cartel in Alaska is a cancer on the State’s economy. Eventually, it will kill the host!
Change the State Motto from “Alaska – The Great Land” to “Alaska – The Teachers Land”
HOW do people vote to give their PFDs (& their family’s PFDs) to teachers who make a lot more then they do?
There are plenty of education jobs across the state, feel free to apply.
The GRIFT and GRAFT continue with business as usual. They need to be LOOMERED!
‘https://loomered.com/
rob yundt is such a disappointment. Does everyone know about his harming the wet lands up here in the valley with improper construction, what ever happened with that
Glad to see many Republicans voted what’s best for the State and not follow the party line off the cliff. They stuck in the eye to Dunleavy.
The democrats are the sheep heading off the fiscal cliff,unless you truly want them to impose an income tax
Jeremy Bynum won’t be getting our votes again. We need an actual conservative representing us. Democrats are ruining Alaska and anyone who sides with them is part of the problem.