With three Republicans on the ballot in Alaska’s November 3 governor’s race, President Donald Trump has picked Bernadette Wilson, the top Republican finisher in the August primary.
He did it Tuesday, in one long Truth Social post published hours before his Wasilla rally. Trump praised Wilson, writing, “She will make a GREAT Governor,” before turning down Dave Bronson, claiming he had “begged me for my support.”
TRUMP: Says Dave Bronson sought his endorsement and was refused; endorses Bernadette Wilson for Alaska governor, warns Bronson and Treg Taylor will take her votes https://t.co/CKJ8pNxxyG
— Trump Truths (@trumptruthsbot) October 13, 2026
Wilson’s case rests on August’s results. She finished first among Republicans with 10.1% of the vote, ahead of Bronson’s 8.1%, while Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins led the whole field with 22.5%. Trump framed the endorsement as arithmetic, saying Wilson has “by far, the best chance of winning.”
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Bronson was at the rally and didn’t accept the president’s version of events. He told Alaska’s News Source that Trump’s recollection was “different from mine.” He told the Alaska Beacon that Treg Taylor never withdrew, “so there was no deal.”
The three Republicans have been stepping on each other for weeks. Wilson has repeatedly urged both rivals to quit, and Taylor said right after the primary that he would back a joint Wilson-Bronson ticket. U.S. Rep. Nick Begich III had already endorsed Wilson. Until Tuesday, Alaska was one of the only governor’s races without a Trump endorsement.
The stakes extend beyond the Republican candidates. Alaska uses ranked-choice voting, allowing voters to rank candidates in order of preference. Although the system can help prevent a split vote, election results since 2022 show that Republican voters have been less likely than Democrats and independents to rank multiple candidates. At a rally in Wasilla, Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy warned that party unity would be crucial. “The only way we’re going to win is if we all vote for the Republican candidates for governor,” he said. Alaska last elected a Democratic governor in 1998, and the Republican split has put that record at risk.
Trump’s trip was mainly about a different race. He came to shore up Sen. Dan Sullivan, who is in a tight contest with Democrat Mary Peltola, and most Alaskan voters say they’re unhappy with the president’s handling of the economy. The same report ties the Iran war to higher prices at the pump and the checkout line.
Featured image via Political Tribune Gallery
