Incoming bipartisan coalition of the Alaska Senate announces key leadership

Anchorage Republican Cathy Giessel will be the next Alaska Senate President for the upcoming 35th Alaska State Legislature, according to an announcement from a bipartisan coalition of senators on Wednesday.

Giessel showed a comfortable lead with 61% of the vote in her bid for re-election, as of Wednesday afternoon results, and has served in the Senate since 2011. She previously served as Senate President from 2019 to 2022, and as Senate Majority Leader and chair of the Senate Resources Committee from 2023 to 2026.

The bipartisan Senate coalition, first formed in 2022 under Kodiak Republican Gary Stevens, is moving to form the Senate Majority coalition in the next Legislature. But its membership and numbers are not confirmed as thousands of votes are still being counted by the Alaska Division of Elections, and winners choosing which caucus to join. 

The majority coalition must have at least 11 members to be a majority in the 20 member chamber. Final election results are scheduled to be certified on Nov. 25. 

In an interview, Giessel said the top priorities for the next Senate will include public education funding, reviving a public pension system, election reform measures and energy.

While Alaska state revenues have seen a surge with the high price of oil, Giessel said the bipartisan Senate leadership will take a “balanced” approach to state spending.

“We are aware that there is going to be excess funding or excess revenue, but we are not going to go on a spending spree. This is something that we all agree on. This is going to be constrained. We’re going to be focusing on the priority budget items first,” she said. 

Giessel said the coalition has not formally spoken with the Democratic gubernatorial frontrunner Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins yet, but meetings would likely begin later this month. 

The coalition named Senator-elect Louise Stutes, a Kodiak Republican, as Senate Majority Leader. Stutes is a first-time candidate for the Senate representing the district which includes Kodiak Island, the southern Kenai Peninsula and Prince William Sound communities, but she has served in the Alaska House since 2015. She has so far received 48.6% of the vote, as of Wednesday afternoon, a significant lead over Republican Heath Smith with 39.7%. 

Another senator-elect that is still unconfirmed is Dillingham independent and House Speaker Rep. Bryce Edgon. He has been appointed as co-chair of the powerful Senate Finance Committee.

As of Wednesday afternoon, Edgmon received 36.1% of the vote to represent one of the state’s largest districts that extends from Western Alaska to the Aleutian Islands. He led Republican Darren Deacon who got 26.8%, and Democrat Wissilie Guy who received 24.8%. Many absentee-in-person and by-mail ballots from the rural region have yet to be counted.  

Anchorage Democrat Bill Wielechowski, who ran unopposed, will be the Senate Rules Chair. He has served in the Senate since 2007, and has chaired the Rules Committee since 2023. 

Juneau Democrat Jesse Kiehl, who was not up for re-election this year, will be co-chair of the Senate Finance Committee, of which he has been a member since 2023. He was first elected to the Senate in 2018. 

Wielchowski said in a statement with the announcement the team has experience representing communities across the state as well as working together and across party lines. 

“This is the message that Alaskans have continued to send us to address the many needs for a stronger Alaska future,” he said. “This coalition will continue to focus on lowering costs for families, ensuring Alaska receives its fair share for our resources, election reform, and making sure that every community across the state, urban and rural, has a seat at the table.”