The 2018 Alaska gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 2018, to elect the governor and

lieutenant governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...

of Alaska. In the primaries for recognized political parties, candidates for governor and lieutenant governor run separately. The winners of each respective primary for governor and lieutenant governor then become a joint ticket in the general election for their political party. Incumbent independent governor

Bill Walker Bill Walker may refer to: Australian rules football * Bill A. Walker (1886–1934), Australian rules footballer for Essendon * Bill Walker (Australian footballer, born 1883) (1883–1971), Australian rules footballer for Fitzroy * Bill J. V. Wal ...

was running for reelection in what was originally a three-way race between Walker, Republican nominee Mike Dunleavy, a former State Senator, and Democratic nominee Mark Begich, a former U.S. Senator. However, Walker dropped out on October 19, 2018, and endorsed Begich. In spite of Walker dropping out, Dunleavy defeated Begich in what would become the only gubernatorial gain by a Republican candidate in 2018. Independent candidates for governor and lieutenant governor may form a ticket that will appear on the general election ballot, provided that both candidates on the ticket collect enough valid petition signatures, as mandated by the Alaska Division of Elections.

Democratic–Libertarian–Independence primary

Candidates from the

Alaska Democratic Party The Alaska Democratic Party is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in Alaska, headquartered in Anchorage. It is one of two major parties in Alaska, alongside the Alaska Republican Party. The Democratic Party holds Alaska's at-large congressio ...

, Alaska Libertarian Party and Alaskan Independence Party appear on the same ballot, with the highest-placed candidate from each party receiving that party's nomination. In October 2017 the AKDP sued for the right to allow non-Democrats to compete for and win the Democratic nomination, which was ultimately decided in their favor in April 2018. This move was widely thought to benefit incumbent Gov. Bill Walker, to foreclose the possibility of a Democratic nominee splitting the vote with Walker against a Republican nominee. However, with the entry of former senator Mark Begich into the race, Walker withdrew from the Democratic primary and forged ahead with a fully independent bid for reelection.

Governor

Declared

* Mark Begich (Democratic), former U.S. Senator * William S. "Billy" Toien (Libertarian), Libertarian candidate for Alaska Governor in

2010 File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...

Polling

;with Mark Begich

Endorsements

Results

Lieutenant governor

Declared

* Debra Call (Democratic), Cook Inlet Tribal Council Board of Directors Representative

Withdrawn

Edgar Blatchford Edgar Blatchford (born November 24, 1950) is an American politician, academic, and attorney, and perennial candidate who served as the mayor of Seward, Alaska. Blatchford sought the 2016 Democratic Party nomination for United States Senate, losin ...

(Democratic), former mayor of Seward

Results

Republican primary

Governor

Nominated

* Mike Dunleavy, educator and former state senator

Eliminated in primary

* Dorian Colbry * Thomas A. "Tom" Gordon *Gerald Heikes, perennial candidate *Merica Hlatcu *Michael Sheldon * Mead Treadwell, former lieutenant governor

Withdrawn

Mike Chenault Charles Michael Chenault (born February 25, 1957) is an American politician in the state of Alaska. Chenault served as a Republican member of the Alaska House of Representatives from 2001 to 2019, representing portions of the Kenai Peninsula Bor ...

, state representative and former Speaker of the Alaska House of Representatives * Scott Hawkins, businessman

Declined

, incumbent Independent Governor (running for re-election as an Independent) *

Robert Gillam Robert Byron Gillam (July 7, 1946 – September 12, 2018) was an American investor. He was the founder and chairman of McKinley Capital Management, an asset management firm, until his death in 2018. Early life Robert Gillam graduated from the ...

, businessman *

Loren Leman Loren Dwight Leman (born December 2, 1950) is an American politician who served as the eighth lieutenant governor of Alaska, from 2002 to 2006. Before that, he served in both houses of the state legislature, and was elected as the Senate Majorit ...

, former lieutenant governor * Anna MacKinnon, state senator (endorsed Mike Dunleavy) * Joe Miller, former magistrate judge and perennial candidate *

Sean Parnell Sean Randall Parnell (born November 19, 1962) is an American attorney and politician. He succeeded Sarah Palin in July 2009 to become the tenth governor of Alaska and served until 2014.governor of Alaska A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political r ...

(endorsed Mike Dunleavy) * Frank Murkowski, former governor of Alaska and U.S. Senator *

Peter Micciche Peter A. Micciche ( ; born December 17, 1961, in Valley Stream, New York) is an American politician and a Republican member of the Alaska Senate since January 15, 2013, representing District O. Micciche was previously the mayor of Soldotna, Alas ...

, state senator (running for re-election to state senate) *

Dan Sullivan Dan, Danny, or Daniel Sullivan may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Daniel J. Sullivan (born 1940), American film and theater director * Daniel G. Sullivan, American screenwriter * Dan Sullivan (musician), indie rock musician * Dan Panic, Amer ...

, former mayor of

Anchorage Anchorage () is the largest city in the U.S. state of Alaska by population. With a population of 291,247 in 2020, it contains nearly 40% of the state's population. The Anchorage metropolitan area, which includes Anchorage and the neighboring Ma ...

and nominee for lieutenant governor in

2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...

(endorsed Mike Dunleavy) * Ben Stevens, former President of the Alaska State Senate, son of former U.S. Senator, President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate, Solicitor of the Interior Department & U.S. Attorney Ted Stevens

Endorsements

Polling

Results

2018 AK gubernatorial Republican primary

Lieutenant governor

Declared

Lynn Gattis Lynn Gattis (born 1957 in Arcata, California) is an American politician. She served as Republican member of the Alaska House of Representatives from January 2013 to January 2017 representing Districts 9 and 7. Education Gattis attended the Unive ...

, former state representative and candidate for the state senate in 2016 * Edie Grunwald, retired air force colonel and former human resources director for the

Alaska National Guard The Alaska Department of Military and Veterans Affairs manages military and veterans affairs for the U.S. state of Alaska. It comprises a number of subdepartments, including the Alaska National Guard, Veterans Affairs, the Division of Homeland Sec ...

* Sharon Jackson, activist and former congressional staffer * Kevin Meyer, state senator and former president of the

Alaska Senate The Alaska State Senate is the upper house in the Alaska Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alaska. It convenes in the Alaska State Capitol in Juneau, Alaska and is responsible for making laws and confirming or rejecting gub ...

* Gary Stevens, state senator * Stephen Wright, air force veteran

Declined

* David Wilson, state senator * Glen Thompson, Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assemblyman

Results

Independents

Governor

Withdrew

(Independent), incumbent governor

Lieutenant governor

Withdrew

* Byron Mallott (Democratic), incumbent lieutenant governor until October 16 *

Valerie Davidson Valerie Nurr'araaluk Davidson (born May 19, 1967) is an American politician who briefly served as the 13th lieutenant governor of Alaska, from October to December 2018. She was sworn in after Byron Mallott's abrupt resignation from the post on Oct ...

(Independent), incumbent lieutenant governor since October 16

General election

Campaign

Independent candidate and incumbent governor

announced on October 19 that he was suspending his campaign and endorsing Mark Begich, three days after Walker's running mate and incumbent lieutenant governor Byron Mallott resigned from office (and amid low polling numbers just three weeks before election day). However, Walker and Mallott still remained on the ballot as the deadline to withdraw was on September 4.

Debates

Predictions

Endorsements

Polling

;with Bill Walker (campaign suspended), Mike Dunleavy, and Mark Begich ;with Mark Begich and Mike Dunleavy ;with Bill Walker and Mike Dunleavy ;with Bill Walker and Mark Begich

Results

Notes

References

External links

Candidates
at Vote Smart
Candidates
at

Ballotpedia Ballotpedia is a nonprofit and nonpartisan online political encyclopedia that covers federal, state, and local politics, elections, and public policy in the United States. The website was founded in 2007. Ballotpedia is sponsored by the Lucy Bur ...

;Official gubernatorial campaign websites
Mark Begich (D) for GovernorMike Dunleavy (R) for Governor
;Official lieutenant gubernatorial campaign websites
Kevin Meyer (R) for Lieutenant Governor
;Alaska Division of Elections
Unofficial Election Results - Nov. 2018
{{2018 United States elections Gubernatorial

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Alaska Mark Begich