By AlaskaWatchman.com

If the votes cast on election day are any indication, the Alaska Legislature will have a decidedly redder hue in the next Legislative Session.

Based off of election day returns, Republicans were winning 9 of 11 Senate races and 29 of 40 House seats. That amounts to a Republican gain of one Senate seat and five House seats.

These numbers could change, however, as there are still more than 150,000 absentee, questioned and early votes to tabulate. That won’t take place until Nov. 10 and could flip a couple of razor close races.

If election night leads hold, however, the Legislature will take a decidedly more conservative turn. This could bode well for Gov. Mike Dunleavy in his effort to enact socially and fiscally conservative policies. Over the past few Legislative sessions, bi-partisan coalitions have governed both houses which has created an inability to balance the state budget or address conservative social issues.

The new Legislature will not only include more Republicans, but several of them are expected to be much more conservative than their predecessors.

Here are the results with most election night votes tallied.

ALASKA SENATE

  • District B: Republican Robert Myers leads Marna Sanford (non-affiliated) – 65% to 30%
  • District D: Republican David Wilson leads non-affiliated James Mayfield – 73% to 14%.
  • District F: Republican Shelley Hughes leads Democrat Jim Cooper – 77% to 17%
  • District H: Republican Madeleine Gaiser leads Democrat Bill Wielechowski – 52% to 48%
  • District J: Democrat Tom Begich wins unopposed
  • District L: Republican Natasha von Imhof leads Democrat Roselynn Cacy – 68% to 31%
  • District M: Republican Josh Revak leads non-affiliated Andy Holleman – 68% to 32%
  • District N: Republican Roger Holland leads Democrat Carl Johnson 61% to 34%
  • District P: Republican Gary Stevens leads AK Independent Greg Madden – 63% to 36%
  • District R: Republican Bert Stedman wins unopposed
  • District T: Democrat Donny Olson leads Republican Thomas Baker – 64% to 35%

ALASKA HOUSE

  • District 1: Republican Bart Lebon leads Democrat Christopher Quist – 61% to 39%
  • District 2: Republican Steve Thompson leads Democrat Jeremiah Youmans – 76% to 24%
  • District 3: Republican Mike Prax wins unopposed
  • District 4: Republican Keith Kurber leads Democrat Grier Hopkins – 54% to 46%
  • District 5: Republican Kevin McKinley leads Democrat Adam Wool – 54% to 46%
  • District 6: Republican Mike Cronk leads Democrat Julia Hnilicka – 59% to 25%
  • District 7: Republican Christopher Kurka leads non-affiliated Jamin Burton – 78% to 21%
  • District 8: Republican Kevin McCabe leads Democrat Alma Hartley – 85% to 14%
  • District 9: Republican George Rauscher leads Democrat Bill Johnson – 80% to 20%
  • District 10: Republican David Eastman leads Democrat Monica Stein-Olson – 81% to 18%
  • District 11: Republican DeLena Johnson leads Democrat Andrea Hackbarth – 79% to 21%
  • District 12: Republican Cathy Tilton wins unopposed
  • District 13: Republican Ken McCarty leads Democrat James Canitz – 78% to 21%
  • District 14: Republican Kelly Merrick leads non-affiliated Mike Risinger – 84% to 16%
  • District 15: Republican David Nelson leads Democrat Lyn Franks – 58% to 42%
  • District 16: Republican Paul Bauer leads Democrat Ivy Spohnholz – 52% to 40%
  • District 17: Democrat Andy Josephson wins unopposed
  • District 18: Democrat Harriet Drummond wins unopposed
  • District 19: Democrat Geran Tarr wins unopposed
  • District 20: Democrat Zack Fields wins unopposed
  • District 21: Republican Lynette Largent leads Democrat Matt Claman – 51% to 49%
  • District 22: Republican Sara Rasmussen leads non-affiliated Stephen Trimble – 64% to 23%
  • District 23: Republican Kathy Henslee leads Democrat Chris Tuck – 52% to 38%
  • District 24: Republican Tom McKay leads Democrat Sue Levi – 67% to 32%
  • District 25: Republican Mel Gillis leads Democrat Calvin Schrage – 59% to 41%
  • District 26:  Republican Laddie Shaw wins unopposed
  • District 27: Republican Lance Pruitt leads Democrat Liz Snyder – 61% to 38%
  • District 28: Republican James Kaufman leads Democrat Suzanne LaFrance – 61% to 35%
  • District 29: Republican Benjamin Carpenter leads non-affiliated Paul Dale – 74% to 26%
  • District 30: Republican Ron Gillham leads non-affiliated James Baisden – 66% to 33%
  • District 31: Republican Sarah Vance leads non-affiliated Kelly Cooper – 70% to 30%
  • District 32: Republican Louise Stutes wins unopposed
  • District 33: Democrat Sara Hannan wins unopposed
  • District 34: Democrat Andi Story leads non-affiliated Ed King – 57% to 43%
  • District 35: Republican Kenny Skaflestad leads Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins – 52% to 48%
  • District 36: Democrat Dan Ortiz leads Republican Leslie Becker – 56% to 44%
  • District 37: Democrat Bryce Edgmon wins unopposed
  • District 38: Democrat Tiffany Zulkosky leads non-affiliated Willy Keppel – 60% to 39%
  • District 39: Democrat Neal Foster leads Republican Dan Holmes – 63% to 20%
  • District 40: Non-affiliated Josiah Patkotak leads Elizabeth Ferguson – 66% to 33%

Election day votes show conservative surge for Alaska Legislature. Will it hold?

Joel Davidson
Joel is Editor-in-Chief of the Alaska Watchman. Joel is an award winning journalist and has been reporting for over 24 years, He is a proud father of 8 children, and lives in Palmer, Alaska.