FAIRBANKS, Alaska (KTVF) – Nick Begich, Eric Hafner, John Wayne Howe and Mary Peltola are running for Alaska’s seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Republican Begich said Alaska needs strong representation in Congress. “There’s 435 members of the United States House, and Alaska only gets one, right, because it’s all based on population, so we’re a big state, small population, and because of that we’ve got to have a strong advocate for our state down in D.C. I don’t feel like we have that right now. I think we can do a lot better. I think we need somebody who understands the issues, is willing to show up to work, and make sure that Alaskan priorities become the priorities of the rest of the Congress.”
He prioritizes opening up the state of Alaska to resource production, and he has been meeting with congresspeople to work on that issue. “We can lock in Alaska’s right to produce our resources in congressional action, so that we’re no longer subject to the whims of a changing presidency, and I think that’s been one of the major problems that we’ve seen over the last four years, is a president that has it out for our state is able to shut down important projects in our state. We don’t want that to happen. I think that we can get that stopped through an act of Congress.”
According to Begich, Alaskans need to know they have a future in the state. “We have seen, for the last 12 years, declining populations, year after year. People are leaving Alaska, and they’re leaving Alaska because there are greater opportunities somewhere else, or because they don’t believe in the opportunities that we have here. I want to see people prosper. I want to see people prosper here today, but for generations to come, and at the end of the day, we’re a resource state. We’ve got to be open for business.”
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Democrat Hafner, who is running for office from a federal prison out of state, said Alaska needs a real Democrat. “Kamala Harris is going to be the next president of the United States, and you need a representative in Congress who can work with the Biden legacy and the Harris administration, and that’s why you should vote for me, because I’m the only candidate who’s endorsing Kamala Harris, who will be the next President of the United States.”
“I’m a Democratic Socialist. I’m a progressive. I’ll work with Bernie Sandeers and AOC to implement a better America for working class Americans. I support Medicare For All. I support free college. I support student loan debt relief. I’m a true progressive,” he added.
Hafner discussed his policy goals regarding Indigenous tribes in the U.S. “One of my first things as Congressman, I will seek to officially designate Fairbanks, Alaska as the Indigenous Capital of the United States and obtain federal funding to create a National Indigenous Congress modeled after the United Nations. Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and other Indigenous Peoples of the United States. This unique body would serve to give Indigenous peoples the ability to debate, discuss, brainstorm and present a unified voice on Indigenous policy.”
According to Hafner, under this National Indigenous Congress, each tribe would have an embassy in Fairbanks. “Such a body would benefit Alaska economically by bringing people into Fairbanks to conduct Indigenous, bring attention to all the wonderful things Alaska has to offer the world, particularly Alaska Native arts, culture and heritage. The tourism/hospitality industries will see a new avenue to bring jobs and economic activity to Alaska.”
Alaskan Independence Party candidate Howe said he is interested in individual independence for Alaskans. “We have lots of ways that we can be more independent in Alaska without necessarily fully separating from the U.S., and I think that the closer we move to that, being the last place, really, that freedom is sought after, though not available here, because we’ve really got only one percent of the land that people are able to use right now. We’ve got 10 percent that’s tied up in Native Corporations, and I say ‘tied up’ because their busy not giving it out to the individual natives, but that’s their own fight.”
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According to Howe, the federal government is afraid of the freedom and individuality of the Alaskan spirit. “The Alaskans that are up here that are really the old school and want to do and produce, if they were allowed to use this ground, utilize it, go out here the way that they used to with the modern technology that is available, there would be so many billionaires here in Alaska that the politics and crookedness that’s going on in the states couldn’t survive. We would run them out of business just by the fact of being good people.”
He discussed a tax system in which people choose where their contribution goes. “You get to choose, how much goes to roads, how much goes specifically to a road, how much goes to the general school fund, how much goes to this school district.”
Incumbent Democrat Peltola, meanwhile, said she is had a successful first two years in Congress, including approval for the Willow Project. “I think it’s important that our delegation continue to work together. I think a lot of the magic and the wins that the senators and I were able to get this year despite this Congress being the most unproductive since the Civil War, Alaska was still able to get a lot of wins because we work so collaboratively together. We’re bipartisan, and I want to keep that momentum going.”
She wants to work on improving the high cost of electrical transmission into the Interior. “The goal is that by 2040, 75 percent of Alaskans, the folks who live along the road system, will be 85 percent powered with renewable energy. Alaska has so many renewable energy potentials, and I think the number one reason this is important for Alaska is because we should be using those renewable energy sources to cheaply and affordably provide energy for our own homes.”
Peltola discussed the recent acquisition of an icebreaker for the state, saying the state needs even more. “We have such a demand for infrastructure in Alaska. We have a demand for investments in our military. I’m very proud of my vote on the National Defense Reauthorization Act. I voted ‘yes’ for the largest pay increase for our soldiers we’ve seen in 10 years, as well as renewed large investments into our military bases.
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Begich, Hafner, Howe and Peltola will appear on the November 5 General Election ballot.
Shares in Alaska Air Group(ALK 1.16%) rose by 12.7% in an excellent week for airline stocks. The move comes as the sector climbs a wall of worry driven by soaring jet fuel prices stemming from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. While the market’s prior concerns are understandable, there’s growing anecdotal evidence suggesting that airlines, including Alaska Air, might emerge from the period in better shape than many expect.
This week’s airline updates
Southwest Airlines(LUV 0.83%) CEO Robert Jordan gave a presentation at the Bernstein 42nd Annual Strategic Decisions Conference, and his remarks surprised the market. It’s no secret that jet fuel prices have soared, and that’s challenging airlines’ profitability. Still, it doesn’t appear to have affected end demand, with Delta Air Lines previously telling investors that strong demand in the first quarter was continuing into the second quarter, even as it raised prices.
Today’s Change
(-1.16%) $-0.54
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Current Price
$46.05
Key Data Points
Market Cap
$5.1B
Day’s Range
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$46.04 – $47.84
52wk Range
$33.03 – $65.88
Volume
162.4K
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Avg Vol
4.5M
Gross Margin
13.76%
That positive trend, with Southwest’s Jordan telling investors that Southwest had participated in seven consecutive fare increases with “no drop off in demand at all.” Jordan went on to note that “I’m becoming increasingly bullish that we will be able to cover these fuel increases with revenue increases,” and also believes that “the industry will retain a much higher percent of the fare increases that would be typical historically.”
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What it means to Alaska Air
Given that Alaska competes with Southwest on some routes and is suffering from rising jet fuel prices, the news from Southwest is particularly relevant. For example, in its recent first-quarter earnings report, Alaska’s management said higher fuel costs would impact earnings per share (EPS) by $0.70 in the first quarter and by more than $3 in the second quarter.
Image source: Getty Images.
These are significant numbers from an airline that analysts expect to report a $0.77-per-share loss in 2026 and then $6.32 in EPS in 2027. However, if Alaska can offset fuel costs with higher prices, then those estimates might need a positive revision.
Lee Samaha has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Alaska Air Group, Delta Air Lines, and Southwest Airlines. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
(Bethel, AK) –Wednesday, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a favorable opinion for the State of Alaska in ConocoPhillips Alaska v. Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (AOGCC), agreeing that State laws requiring disclosure of oil well data are not preempted by federal law.
“Alaska relies heavily on our resources and resource development,” said Acting Alaska Attorney General Cori Mills. “We are also stewards of those resources for the citizens of Alaska. Alaska’s law both allows resource development now, and encourages further development and exploration in the future. We’re pleased that the Ninth Circuit recognized that federal law has not overridden Alaska’s balanced approach.”
The Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission regulates oil and gas operations throughout Alaska, including within the National Petroleum Reserve–Alaska (NPR–A). Under Alaska law, companies need permits from the AOGCC to drill and must submit well data. The AOGCC is required to keep well data confidential for 24 months.
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ConocoPhillips drilled several wells on lease holdings within the NPR–A and submitted data to the AOGCC. When the 24-month period expired, the AOGCC notified ConocoPhillips of the upcoming well data disclosure. ConocoPhillips sued in federal court to stop the disclosure process claiming that the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act, the federal law allowing private exploration in the NPR–A, preempted Alaska’s 24-month disclosure law. The federal district court found Alaska law preempted, and the AOGCC sought appellate review by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
On appeal, the Ninth Circuit agreed with the AOGCC. The federal Production Act does not preempt state law. The Ninth Circuit therefore reversed the district court’s holding to the contrary.
“The Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission is pleased with the court’s decision upholding Alaska law,” said AOGCC Commissioner Jessie Chmielowski in a declaration filed in the litigation court. “Alaska’s balanced approach to well data confidentiality leads to increased exploration activity, not less. Alaska law allows for a two-year confidentiality period on exploration well data to leverage a company’s investment in drilling. Thereafter, making the data public has incentivized exploration on the North Slope. Placing well data in the public record allows competing companies to evaluate different exploration concepts or interpretations based on seismic data that, without well data, are just educated guesses.”
Alaska Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins (Photo courtesy Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins)
Alaska needs change. That’s why I’m running for governor: to bring new energy and a new generation of leadership to the governor’s office.
For 13 years in a row, more Alaskans have left our great state than have moved here. Prices are rising, schools are closing and Alaskans are getting left behind.
This year, those planning to leave Alaska include Ben and Catherine Walker, both recipients of Alaska’s Teacher of the Year Award. They can’t justify staying in the place they grew up in and love because of our failure to invest in the fundamentals, such as our schools.
The problem is personal. I’m 37. Many of those leaving Alaska are my age — debating whether there’s a future for us here or not. It’s a challenge we must solve.
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I love challenges.
Back in 2012, I dropped out of college to challenge an entrenched Republican incumbent legislator who was running unopposed to represent my home region of Southeast Alaska. I launched a scrappy, grassroots campaign and focused on the kitchen table issues that matter to every Alaskan: good schools, getting our fair share of oil revenues, lowering costs, protecting our fisheries. I won — by 32 votes.
When I was sworn in, I was baby-faced and bushy-tailed, just 23 years old. It was the beginning of a decade-long tenure in the Legislature. A lot happened in those 10 years.
Among the most important: We formed the House Bipartisan Coalition in 2016. While I have a “D” next to my name, I believe strongly in working across party lines. That’s what the Bipartisan Coalition was, and is, all about: Democrats, moderate Republicans and independents, all working together to do what’s best for Alaska.
I want to bring that same bipartisan, vigorous problem-solving spirit to the governor’s office, where it has been nonexistent the last eight years.
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As governor, I want to work hand in hand with the Legislature to deliver some desperately needed wins for Alaska that will make our lives better and get our state back on track:
• Reinvest in our public schools. Our school districts are in battlefield triage mode, but instead of amputating limbs, our school boards are forced to choose which sports to cut, which electives to discontinue and which neighborhood school to close. Enough already. Get school funding back up to par.
• Forward fund our schools. Our school districts shouldn’t have to guess how much education funding will end up being appropriated in end-of-session legislative haggling.
This circus forces school districts to prospectively fire teachers, then rehire them a month or two later, when they find out the final education funding number. It’s awful for all involved. We should fix it by forward funding.
• Close the Hilcorp corporate income tax loophole. Hilcorp should pay their fair share in taxes just as ConocoPhillips, and nearly every other major corporation in Alaska, already does.
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• Lower the cost of energy. Chugach Electric Association, Golden Valley Electric Association, Homer Electric Association and Matanuska Electric Association operate about 1,700 megawatts in power generation capacity. Peak Railbelt winter demand is half that: about 850 megawatts. Guess who pays for the nearly gigawatt in underused and unused power plants? You, on your power bill. The governor should force the co-ops to work together, reduce redundancies and diversify energy sources, including renewables, in order to reduce the sky-high cost of energy for Alaskans.
• Lower the cost of childcare. Alaska has inadvertently created a system of childcare permitting and licensing that effectively amounts to death by a thousand pieces of paperwork. It’s creating scarcity and cost. We need to fix it.
• Lower the cost of housing. Cut red tape to make it easier and cheaper to build more homes of all kinds — from tiny homes and ADUs to manufactured and modular housing, to apartments and condos, to traditional single-family homes. More housing of all kinds, faster.
• Rein in bottom-trawl bycatch. I will nominate Alaskans to the North Pacific Fishery Management Council who will make sure that Alaska and Alaskans — not Seattle and Lower 48 industry interests — foremost benefit from our fisheries.
• Responsibly develop our resources. Support projects that have regional buy-in and support, such as Pikka on the North Slope, which just produced first oil this month, while saying “no” when the risks are too great and those in the region are opposed, as is the case with Pebble.
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• Grow our tourism economy. And let’s crack the code on winter tourism while we’re at it. If Iceland can do it, we darn well can, too. Fairbanks is having burgeoning winter tourism success. Let’s follow their great lead.
• Make Alaska an awesome place to live. Let’s build dozens more public-use cabins. Let’s build an alpine hut-to-hut system like they have in New Zealand and the Alps. Let’s build the Alaska Long Trail. Let’s make Anchorage a world-class winter city.
Does this sound like the kind of Alaska you want to live in? Then I have great news: We are the governor campaign for you. And if what you just read gives you indigestion, you’ll be relieved to know you have 17 other options.
I have more great news: I can win.
After beating an entrenched Republican incumbent, I spent a decade representing a swingy district that voted for Donald Trump.
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In those 10 years, I recorded some of the highest margins of crossover support from Trump voters of any Democrat in Alaska. I ran 12% ahead of Hillary Clinton in 2016 and 15% ahead of Joe Biden in 2020.
Here’s the simple truth: Whoever becomes our next governor will need to win with the support of significant numbers of independents and moderate Republicans, in addition to Democrats. I’ve done that. And I’ll do it again. Will you join me?
Former state Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins of Sitka is a candidate for governor of Alaska.
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