The Alaska Republican Party has a big problem. It cannot effectively police its members when they misbehave, so some RINO politicians take advantage of the weakness within the GOP to advance their own interests to the detriment of the party.
In Georgia, things are different. The Georgia GOP was faced with unacceptable behavior from one of its members, former Lt. Governor Geoff Duncan. Mr. Duncan exhibited behaviors destructive to the Republican brand, including undermining GOP candidates, endorsing Democrat opponents, and using his party membership for personal gain. Specific examples of his misbehavior are Mr. Duncan’s work against the election of Hershel Walker when Walker ran for Senate in Georgia and his endorsement of both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for president over Donald Trump.
Faced with his disloyalty, the Georgia State GOP took decisive action. They made Mr. Duncan persona non grata as a Georgia Republican. Duncan has been banned from property owned or leased by the Georgia Republican Party. He has been banned from all events held under the authority of the Georgia Republican Party, such as nominating conventions and fundraisers. Duncan is prohibited from running for any future office in Georgia as a Republican, and his election victories as Lt. Governor and state House member have been expunged from party records. The party also asked the local news media to refer to Duncan as an “expelled Republican” when referring to his political affiliation in articles and news stories.
It is time for the Alaska GOP to wake up and figure out a way to take punitive action against those disloyal to the party, and I mean immediately.
This seems like pretty harsh treatment of the guy, but the Georgia GOP sent a loud and clear message. Every other Republican in the state understands that disloyalty to the party for personal gain will not be tolerated and would amount to political suicide for anyone wishing a future career as a Republican in that state. I suspect from now on, Georgia Republicans will toe the party line to avoid risking career damage.
Compare the response of Georgia Republicans to what the Alaska GOP has done in similar circumstances. Feckless RINOs in our state legislature have formed governing coalitions with the Democrats, who are the minority in both houses. For some reason, the Alaska Republican party has been unable to do anything about this and by their inaction, tolerates betrayal from House members Louise Stutes (Kodiak) and Chuck Kopp (Anchorage) and Senators Bert Stedman (Sitka), Gary Stevens (Kodiak), Jesse Bjorkman (Nikiski), Cathy Giessel (Anchorage), and Kelly Merrick (Eagle River).
Each of these Republicans has betrayed their party to form alliances with the Democrats. Each of these individuals deserves the Geoff Duncan treatment, but the Alaska GOP appears impotent, unable to provide punishment of any kind.
At the state level, it appears that nothing is being done, and although efforts are being made at the local level, it will probably have no impact. I recently sat through a presentation where District 6 GOP members presented a new idea they hoped would ensure party loyalty among future candidates in their district and be a model for the rest of the state. They have devised a checklist with expectations for Republican candidates in the district, including promises like committing not to caucus with the Democrats.
ALASKA WATCHMAN DIRECT TO YOUR INBOX
Candidates would be asked to sign the document confirming their commitment to the Republican party. It sounds nice, but I fear it will be ineffective for the same reason past efforts have because this process has no enforcement mechanism. If the current group of seven disloyal Republicans in the state legislature were willing to deceive voters to get elected, what makes the party think that new candidates wouldn’t do the same, but this time in writing?
The Alaska GOP needs some sort of enforcement mechanism with real consequences. In my working career, I managed large numbers of people working in the oil industry on the North Slope. I found that when I rewarded good behavior, I got more of it. Any behavior that was punished resulted in a reduction of bad behavior. This is not rocket science. If the Alaska GOP found a way to act in a similar fashion to what the Georgia GOP has done, I bet you would have a more honest and trustworthy group of Republican politicians in Juneau and a Republican-controlled State Legislature.
It is time for the Alaska GOP to wake up and figure out a way to take punitive action against those disloyal to the party, and I mean immediately.
The views expressed here are those of the authors. Read more posts at Seward’s Folly substack.
22 Comments
Leadership has been lacking in Alaska GOP for years. Clubs are out of control, Alaska Leadership Chair and board are pout of control and afraid they will miss put on donations and per diem and all that goes with it. They are in it to self serve. That’s it!
Is the definition of “RINO” any Republican who doesn’t want to kiss Trump’s ring?
No. It is anyone masquerading as a Republican who is most likely a Democrat in order to get elected. Then they do not represent the tenants and values they are expected to uphold as a Republican but once in office act as Democrats. They are Charlatans. Funny that you don’t see Republicans falsely representing themselves as Democrats to get elected……
The Alaska Republican Party Board, the women’s republican groups, the governor and those he puts in control, Senator L. Murkowski, definitely leading that thinking. The republican members in districts saying one thing for elections and doing another, refusing to work for the people.. Go for it! It’s about time.
Elizabeth. Republicans excel in misrepresenting themselves, also known as lying. Or maybe I mean hypocrisy. Dishonesty and cheating are top planks in the Republican platform. Liz Cheney apparently didn’t understand that.
Why not just go ahead and admit that you’re a democrat?
Nobody’s that stupid, Paul, you’re just chumming the water, see what/who bites.
Okay you got a bite. Who has to ” kiss Trump’s ring” to be a Republican loyalist? This isn’t the Biden-Harris Club, you don’t have to kiss anyone’s anatomy, including their ring, to be a member.
Do you think, even on a good day, President Trump would want you to “kiss Trump’s ring” or would tolerate having you in the room with him if you did?
Only Democrats kiss like this, and what they kiss is way south of “the ring”, as if you didn’t know already.
Do you think Democrats tolerate the kind of disloyalty which you apparently think Republicans should?
Forget rings, the definition of RINO is a loathsome lying bast… ah… person… who lied, cheated, swindled his way into public office, proving by example what he intends to do to constituents once he gets there.
So yes, Alaska’s GOP should follow Georgia’s lead and punish disloyal RINOs… if not, Paul, why not? Does loyalty mean nothing to you?
Does this not matter because The Giessel and Friends haven’t done anything to you personally just yet?
Didn’t they try to censure the Kow? And it failed?
This article strays so far from the reality we experience as Alaskan Republicans in 2025 that it qualifies as fake news. Our party welcomes turncoat Republicans to participate in virtually every aspect of our party politics, including voting in our state conventions, while these same turncoat Republicans point the finger of blame at conservative legislators for the woes of our state. Our party then responds by repeatedly punishing the conservatives.
This is the party that rescinded the censure of Lisa Murkowski and welcomed her back into the good graces of the party. This is the party that allowed the turncoat Republican legislators to be represented as voting members on the Republican State Central Committee, while denying that right to those few Republican legislators who actually made an effort to stand by Republican voters and the Republican Party Platform. Republican politicians have now been trained not to associate with the conservatives for fear of being punished!
This is the party that has now set the standard in its governing documents that it is perfectly acceptable to recruit Democrat, Planned Parenthood-endorsed legislators into the “Republican” Caucus in the legislature as long as Democrats don’t equal 1/3 or more of the caucus!
Do the math. If you look at voting records, conservatives are already outnumbered in the Republican Caucus. Now, with the 1/3 Democrats the RINO’s and Democrats together will always outnumber the conservatives and will be able to continue to block conservative Republican legislators from even being part of the “Republican” caucus.
This is the party you are asking to punish Republican officials! It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that if they punish anyone, it will be the most conservative legislators. In the legislature, there are currently five caucuses/groups. Only four Republican legislators do not belong to a caucus that includes Planned Parenthood-endorsed, hardcore leftists. Those four have had their staff fired and/or cut, have been removed from legislative committees, and have been denied the same caucus resources that are enjoyed by every other legislator. And every Republican legislator except the four went along with it for the last two years. Haven’t conservatives been punished enough already?
David, I think it’s would be helpful if you would expose the four by name that you reference.
I do agree that alaska conservatives are dysfunctional arrogant group of misfits!
About 2 years ago a number of us, active in the Republican Party of Alaska, tried to create rules wherein anyone wanting to run for office under the Republican banner, would have to be validated as Representative of the party platform. A committee was proposed of state Republican officials & members from throughout the state to review the candidates and either allow them to run under the Republican banner and represent themselves as an “R” on the ballot or not. This was under the previous Republican Party administration. While not a perfect solution, it was an attempt to begin to address the author’s concerns. None of it was implemented. The immeadiate reason was that the Ranked Choice Voting Law states that any candidate on the ballot can run under the name of their party of registration. So it would be illegal to interfere with that. Also the process would be cumbersome and some referred to a purity test and objected. So in essence, using the Lisa Murkowski (who was censured for a time) example, if she chooses to remain registered as a Republican she will show on the ballot as a Republican and the party has no say about that whatsoever. Maybe a system could be devised (until or unless RCV is repealed) where party’s could designate their endorsed candidates on the ballot with a gold star or similar. But that would take a law change which I suspect the supporters of RCV would fiercely oppose.
Maybe the AK Republican Party could get some tips from Georgia. I’ve since moved to Idaho, but in Alaska part of the problem is the Party, though a private club essentially, does not own its own brand. Changing that may require a lot of time, legislative changes & maybe time in court litigating opposing law suits.
This same problem has been happening in Texas and has been for 10 years according to the Charley Kirk Show podcast interviewing the Chairman of the Republican party [Abraham George], about a week ago, George understands the problem and is working on punitive measures. Texas Attorney General Paxson is considering making a run for office and opposing the WOKE candidate running for office. These evildoers in the Texas legislators tried to impeach Paxson who has been a hero and actively working for the betterment of Texas and all the states. The problem there is that they need to spend much money to run in Texas. I am going to email Charley Kirk (freedom@charley kirk.com) about our having the same situation here in Alaska. The use of the word “caucus” is a joke. These turncoats and liars are just fine with what they do. One of the ring leaders of the clique smarted off when he took over a few sessions ago by lying about not minding doing this crooked ” cliqueing up” and ostracizing our good, honest MAGA Patriots, because he wasn’t going to run again anyway. Well, Gary Stevens is back. He ran again. These people including Murkowski have no conscience about wrecking Alaska with their self-centered moves. These are NOT MAGA patriots, but narcissistic selfish evildoers. Both Murkowski (Senator Frank Murkowski’s daughter), and Gary Stevens (related to the late Senator Ted Stevens) have acted as though they are part of a dynasty which has to continue but has nothing to do with helping Alaska’s WE THE PEOPLE. citizens. Our Alaskan Republican party continues to be very weak or nonexistent when it comes to “pushing back”, by not disciplining the renegades who vote to block the MAGA Patriots every step of the way. Our local paper is extremely to the left and there are no ” journalists” at the Daily News Miner and editor Gary Black will rarely chooses to print conservative or Christian positions. Black does not return phone calls either so the so called “voice of the interior” does not help expose any of this corruption going on.. Keep praying for the Lord to get us out of this mess and return us to the rule of law, the US Constitution and our founding principles. Pray that the judges follow the ALaska and US Constitutions or get out of the way.
Follow the money. Whoever controls the flow of party money controls the rogue RINOs, because that’s why RINOs stamp R’s on their foreheads. It certainly isn’t because they support the platform.
As usual people are commenting on something they don’t know. As a matter fact when Tuckerman Babcock was Chair of the party this issue was addressed and the liberal courts knocked in down stating you could not stop a person for putting an R by their name. Then with RCV the party primaries were shut down. I would like to know how many people commenting have been directly involved in the party within their districts. Most of you are commenting about something you think you know but actually know very little!
Reads like someone’s losing it.
Alaska’s GOP is the model of perfection, elevating the Stutes-Kopp-Stedman-Stevens-Bjorkman-Giessel-Merrick mob to the Holy City of Juneau to do what, exactly, but that’s not our worry, people should just shut up, be thankful, because they don’t know. and the issue was addressed, but the liberal courts knocked it down, so that’s the end of it?
“Caucus” with Democrats? Did we elect the mob, did GOP endorse this mob to “caucus” with Democrats? Back in the day, wasn’t there a more irreverent term for “caucus with Democrats”?
If Chairman Michael Whatley or Co-Chair Lara Trump were to ask, this is the best and only excuse Alaska’s GOP has to offer?
Judy, comments like this are part of the reason that people don’t get involved with the local Republican groups. Nothing like pointing fingers and telling people they don’t know what they are saying or doing. I am looking forward to seeing if you guys actually get RCV removed because once it is gone, Lisa Murkowski will finally be voted out. No matter what, I am still willing to get a petition booklet from you guys to go collect signatures if that works for you.
In addition to my first comment to you that has to be “moderated,” might I suggest that you use your “influence” to get the Alaska legislators to take care of RCV instead of forcing the People (or the plebs?) to bypass legislation to get this done.
well done eledge! Your dictator aspirations have curiously been leaked! Here ye here ye, all you stupid people listen up! JUDY IS ABOUT TO SPEAK!
Louise Stutes and Gary Stevens are a disgrace to Kodiak. We pray for a strong primary challenger, because they got to go.
So can IGLOO conservatives attend the Alaska Republican convention too?
I see no one has mentioned Lisa Murkowski. i wonder why? , shes the biggest rino of all of them, what an embarrassment to our state.
What’s the purpose of a state party convention and resulting party platform if members don’t honor it? It’s not about “kissing anyone’s ring”. It’s a big waste of my personal time , money and effort if I let elected Republicans toss aside our efforts to set standards, ie. platform. Really burns me, and I’m going to be noisy about it.