Alaska House quickly announced a bipartisan majority, but some lawmakers say that was premature

Nov. 7—Alaska House legislators announced on Wednesday that they had formed a bipartisan majority coalition, but some Republicans said that was premature with tens of thousands of ballots still to be counted.

State senators also announced on Wednesday — the day after Election Day — that they would form a bipartisan Senate majority with few leadership changes from the current caucus. But the announcement from the House caught some by surprise.

"I think it could be premature," said House Speaker Cathy Tilton, a Wasilla Republican.

Two key legislative races are particularly close. Results could shift as thousands of absentee and early votes are counted on Tuesday. More ballots will be counted on Nov. 20.

From preliminary results, Anchorage Democratic Rep. Cliff Groh is ahead by 28 votes against former Republican Rep. David Nelson for a North Anchorage House seat. Groh said he estimates there are around 562 outstanding ballots yet to be counted.

Anchorage Democratic candidate Ted Eischeid is ahead by 111 votes against GOP Rep. Stanley Wright for a North Muldoon seat. Eischeid said his campaign team estimates there are roughly 1,000 ballots still to be counted in his race.

Tilton said if outstanding ballots flip those two races, "then, I guess, the conversations can begin."

In the 40-seat Alaska House, a minimum of 21 legislators are needed to form a majority caucus. The bipartisan coalition announced on Wednesday has 22 presumed members — 16 Democrats, four independents and two Republicans. But prospective members say the caucus could get larger.

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The coalition's organization announcement was markedly faster than others in recent years. In 2023, the House organized shortly after the legislative session began in January. In 2019, it took 31 days into the legislative session for the House to organize. In 2021, it took 24 days.

Republicans on Thursday cited cautionary tales of legislators announcing majority caucuses that haven't panned out.

After the 2018 election, Republicans quickly announced the House had organized with then-Republican Rep. Dave Talerico of Healy slated to be House speaker. But those well-laid plans collapsed when one member defected.

Sutton Republican Rep. George Rauscher was in the Legislature at the time. He said Thursday that the 2018 caucus breakdown was an "interesting example" he had brought up in discussions with other legislators.

"It's really important that everybody waits to see the end of this election, since the numbers are so close," he said.

Prospective coalition members felt confident on Wednesday that they had the numbers to form a majority that would hold. The caucus's priorities include "stable education public education funding" and adopting pubic-sector "retirement reform."

Some have blamed the current Republican-led House majority for failing to override Gov. Mike Dunleavy's veto of a school-funding bill; for blocking efforts to reestablish a pension for state workers and teachers; and for voting against a measure intended to make voting easier in rural Alaska.

Anchorage Democratic Rep. Zack Fields was excited by the prospect of bipartisan coalitions in the House and Senate to advance moderate and progressive policies.

"I think Alaskans, frankly, across regions and across parties, voted to elect people who support schools and support filling vacancies of teachers and police officers and snowplow drivers with pension reform," he said.

Since Dunleavy was elected in 2018, there have been moderate and left-leaning caucuses in one legislative chamber. Now, there are set to be bipartisan coalitions in both, which could provide a strong counterweight to the Republican governor's leadership.

"Gov. Dunleavy looks forward to working with anyone in the legislature who is focused on moving Alaska forward," Dunleavy spokesman Jeff Turner said in a prepared statement. "The governor has no comment on the composition of the caucuses, given that many races have not yet been called."

How the caucus came together

Legislators say that conversations have been ongoing for months about forming a bipartisan coalition in the House. Initial returns on election night pointed toward a strong showing for Democrats, independents and moderate Republicans.

Dillingham independent Rep. Bryce Edgmon flew to Anchorage on Election Day. He has twice served as House speaker before, and is now slated to be House speaker again. As the legislative chamber's presiding officer, he would have an influential role on which bills advance, and who holds key leadership positions.

Kodiak Rep. Louise Stutes and former Anchorage Rep. Chuck Kopp — both Republicans — had served in leadership positions in bipartisan coalitions in the past, including Stutes as House speaker.

Both Republicans agreed to join the new bipartisan coalition in key roles. Stutes would chair the House Rules Committee, which decides when legislation advances to a final vote. Kopp would be the majority leader.

"I am really excited, and I am looking forward to a very productive year for Alaska," Stutes said in a Thursday interview.

On Wednesday afternoon, House legislators and prospective members met in an undisclosed Anchorage location and announced they had formed a bipartisan coalition.

"I would say that it was a very happy meeting, a jubilant meeting, where folks were excited about the prospect of a new philosophical bent in the Alaska Legislature," said Rep. Andrew Gray, D-Anchorage.

Gray said the majority's membership could swell. Two Republicans said Thursday that they were undecided on which caucus they would join.

Fairbanks GOP Rep. Will Stapp has served in the Republican-led majority. He was one of four House majority Republicans who voted to override Dunleavy's education veto.

Stapp said Thursday that he was open to the idea of joining the new majority coalition, but he had not been invited to join. He was concerned the coalition could support importing natural gas to address a looming shortage of production from Cook Inlet. He said that would be a deal breaker for him.

"Unless people are serious about developing a solid domestic supply, I kind of feel like you're laying the cornerstone of economic ruin for the state," he said.

Ketchikan Republican Jeremy Bynum is well ahead in a three-way race for an open Southeast seat. He said that he flew to Anchorage on Wednesday to have discussions with lawmakers about caucus plans.

Bynum said that he attended the end of Wednesday's bipartisan coalition meeting and introduced himself to members. But he said he hasn't decided which caucus he will join.

"I'm just having conversations with different folks across the spectrum," he said.

The 34th Alaska Legislature is scheduled to convene its first regular session in Juneau on Jan. 21.

Daily News reporter Iris Samuels contributed.