Campaign spending picks up ahead of general election

With just under a month to go until the general election on Nov. 5, campaign spending is heating up, with local candidates describing expenditures totaling more than $160,000 in campaign disclosure reports filed Monday with the Alaska Public Office Commission.

Electoral candidates were required to file disclosure forms with the commission describing their campaign income and expenditures 30 days before the election. Monday’s reports describe campaign earning and spending from Aug. 11 to Oct. 4.

Senate District D

Incumbent Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, R-Nikiski, has represented Senate District D since 2022, covering the northern Kenai Peninsula including Kenai, Soldotna and Nikiski. So far, Bjorkman has brought in a total of nearly $132,000 and spent just short of $103,000. This period, he spent $74,000.

Rep. Ben Carpenter, R-Nikiski, who is challenging Bjorkman for Senate District D rather than seeking reelection to his seat for House District 8, has so far raised $67,000 and spent $43,000. He spent $23,000 this period.

Bjorkman’s donations this period came from many current and former Kenai Peninsula Borough School District teachers, as well as oil and gas workers, fishers and local business owners. He’s also received donations from several current and former members of local and state governments.

He received donations from political action committees representing the Pacific Seafood Processors Association, Public Employees Local 71, the Alaska Hospital and Healthcare Association, the American Medical Association, Associated General Contractors of Alaska, the Alaska State Medical Association, “Alaska Build,” the Alaska Trucking Association, ConocoPhillips Alaska employees, Anchorage Firefighters Union, Alaska IBEW Local 1547 and SouthCentral Alaska Building Trades.

Carpenter’s donations come mostly from people who identify themselves as “retired.” Among his donors are several real estate agents and people who work in oil and gas. No political action committees have donated to Carpenter’s campaign, though he has received donations from the Anchorage Republican Woman’s Club, the Kenai Peninsula Republican Women of Alaska, the MatSu Republican Woman’s Club and the Valley Republican Women of Alaska.

Bjorkman’s largest individual donation this period — $5,000 — came from Anchorage-based private wealth manager Justin Weaver. Weaver has donated over $122,000 to state and municipal races this election season.

Carpenter’s largest individual donations were from Renae Wall, a “homemaker” from Sterling, and James Udelhoven, retired of Kasilof — who each donated $3,000.

Bjorkman’s largest expenditures are radio advertising, totaling more than $32,000. Of that total, $21,000 was spent with KSRM Radio Group.

He’s also spent roughly $10,000 with Martin Media and Jenness Graphic Design, for video production and campaign materials respectively, and $15,000 with Florida-based Point Blank Political for “campaign ads.”

Carpenter, similarly, has led his spending with radio advertising. He reported $15,000 paid to KSRM. He’s also spent around $3,000 for print products from Canva.

Tina Wegener, a Sterling Democrat also running for the seat, has reported no activity, no earnings and no expenditures for each of her reports.

House District 7

Incumbent Rep. Justin Ruffridge, R-Soldotna, represents House District 7, which covers Kenai and Soldotna. He brought in $38,000 and spent $27,000. Of that, $11,000 was spent this period.

Challenging Ruffridge for the seat is former Rep. Ron Gillham, R-Soldotna, who held the seat from 2020-2022, when he was unseated by Ruffridge. Gillham’s report details only $807 in total raised by his campaign, omitting roughly $7,000 previously reported on his Aug. 13 report. That Aug. 13 report says he’s spent more than $4,000 — the new report says he’s spent $1,500 and is in a $700 deficit.

Ruffridge’s donors include business owners and leaders. Of 19 donations reported this period, seven are from PACs representing health care workers, seafood processors, general contractors and mariners. His largest individual donor was Rachel Barinbaum, a vice president for Northern Compass Group in Anchorage who added $1,000.

Gillham’s only donor is Tuckerman Babcock, who is described as providing $807 in “in kind donation.” Gillham reports also spending $730 on stamps from the U.S. Post Office in Soldotna.

Ruffridge’s largest expenditure is nearly $8,000 paid to Martin Media for “campaign media.” He Also describes nearly $1,000 in radio ads with KSRM and a combined $1,200 in various spendings connected to his appearance at Industry Appreciation Day — driven by his bounce house rental.

House District 8

Two candidates are currently seeking election to the House District 8 seat, which covers Nikiski, Sterling and Cooper Landing. Bill Elam, currently on the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly, and John Hillyer, a retired Air Force pilot, are vying for the seat vacated by Carpenter.

Hillyer has consistently outpaced Elam in fundraising, though he and his wife donated $9,000 early in the campaign to drive that lead. He’s reported $23,000 in income and $15,000 in expenses. Hillyer spent $4,000 this period. His donors include a group of four FedEx airline pilots — including Hillyer himself — and 14 people who describe themselves as “retired.” His largest donor is Renae Wall, who describes herself as an executive assistant from Sterling. She donated $2,500.

Elam has reported $15,000 in income, spending $11,000 — $4,000 this period. His recent donors include two people who identify themselves as “homemaker,” a couple of business owners, and a Soldotna project manager. He received two donations from PACs, one representing ConocoPhillips employees and another representing hospital workers. His largest donor is Misty Peterkin, a Nikiski “homemaker.” She added $3,000, though $1,000 was refunded.

Hillyer and Elam both describe radio advertising as their largest expenses. Hillyer spent $3,000 with Peninsula Communications in Homer. Elam spent $1,000 with KSRM.

House District 6

There are two challengers facing incumbent Rep. Sarah Vance, R-Homer, for House District 6, which covers the southern Kenai Peninsula and includes Homer, Anchor Point and Kasilof. Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly President Brent Johnson and Dawson Slaughter, an Anchor Point Republican and president of the Anchor Point Chamber of Commerce, are vying for the seat.

Vance has raised $45,000 and spent only $11,000, with $6,000 in expenses this period. Her donors include nearly 50 people who describe themselves as “retired,” a selection of Republican women’s clubs and some construction workers. She’s also supported by PACs representing ConocoPhillips employees, the American Medical Association, general contractors, and “Alaska Build.” Her largest donor is Barrett Moe, of Homer, whose occupation is “Sales.” He added $1,500.

Johnson has raised $59,000 and spent $45,000 — including $35,000 spent this period. Across 192 donors, 108 describe themselves as retired, while others include fishers, teachers and health care workers. His largest donor is Leah Lamdin, a Homer mother who added $1,700. He describes no donations from PACs.

Slaughter has raised $6,000 and spent $5,000. He added only $50 and spent $2 this period.

Vance’s largest expenses are campaign signs, on which she’s spent $1,300. She also describes $500 in ads with Peninsula Radio Group, nearly $600 in Facebook advertising and nearly $400 in “Fuel.”

Johnson’s largest expenses include a total of more than $11,000 in radio advertising, including well over $5,000 each to Peninsula Communications and KSRM. He’s also paid nearly $5,000 in wages paid to web manager Audrey Wallace, nearly $6,000 to Migel Ramos for office space, nearly $5,000 in wages to campaign manager Ron Meehan and $2,500 to the Alaska Democratic Party for “Data Mining.”

House District 5

Seward resident Leighton Radner, a registered member of the Libertarian party, is running against incumbent Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, for House District 5, which includes Seward as well as other communities not on the Kenai Peninsula like Kodiak and Cordova.

Radner has raised $1,000 total, driven by a $1,000 donation last month from the Alaska Libertarian Party. He reported no expenses.

Stutes has raised $19,000 and spent around $2,000. Her donors include 12 people from Anchorage, four from Kodiak and one from Cordova.

Stutes’ largest expenses are airline tickets to Anchorage and Cordova totaling nearly $1,000.

Full APOC reports can be found at doa.alaska.gov/apoc.

Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.