Only a week before the Alaska primary election on Tuesday, Aug. 20, incumbents still show strong leads in campaign fundraising in all but the race for House District 6 on the southern Kenai Peninsula, according to information filed Tuesday with the Alaska Public Office Commission.
Electoral candidates were required to file disclosure forms with the commission describing their campaign income and expenditures seven days ahead of the primary, specifically funds raised and spent between July 20 and Aug. 10.
Senate District D
Incumbent Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, R-Nikiski, has represented Senate District D since 2023, covering the northern Kenai Peninsula including Kenai, Soldotna and Nikiski. In less than a month, between July 20 and Aug. 10, Bjorkman added over $26,000 to his coffer, bringing his campaign income to nearly $98,000.
Rep. Ben Carpenter, R-Nikiski, who is challenging Bjorkman for Senate District D rather than seeking reelection to his seat for House District 8, brought in $8,000 in the same window, with total income of $35,000.
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. His largest donation came from Lynden Incorporated Board Chair Jim Jansen, who donated $2,000.
Several political action committees also donated to Bjorkman, representing the Public Employees Local 71, the American Medical Association, Anchorage Police Department Employees Association, Citizens for Competition, Pacific Seafood Processors Association and the Public Safety Employees Association.
Carpenter’s donations this period come largely from 17 people who identified themselves as being “Retired.” His largest donation is $1,500 from Bethany Marcum, the Alaska director of Americans for Prosperity, a conservative advocacy group. He also received a total of $1,500 in donations from the Republican Women of the Kenai.
Bjorkman reported spending less than $2,000 this period, leaving more than $70,000 on hand. Carpenter spent nearly $5,000, mostly on T-shirts and campaign signs, and has $22,195 on hand.
Also running for the seat are Andy Cizek, who since starting his campaign described no income and one expenditure that leaves him with a $100 deficit, and Tina Wegener, who has described no income or expenses.
House District 7
Incumbent Rep. Justin Ruffridge, R-Soldotna, represents House District 7, which covers Kenai and Soldotna. He raised nearly $5,000 this period for a total income of $29,000. Steven Wortham made the largest donation to Ruffridge this period, at $2,500. Ruffridge also received $1,000 from a PAC representing the Alaska State Employees Association.
Ruffridge spent $7,500 in July for campaign media from Martin Media, on his way to expenditures this period of nearly $10,000.
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 added $6,550 to his total this period, having raised just under $10,000 in his campaign.
Gillham’s largest donation comes from South Carolina resident Guy Blanton, who put in $1,000. He’s also received $500 each from the Alaska Republicans, Republican Women of the Kenai, and Kenai Peninsula Republican Women. Most of his donations, including from the political groups, do not have listed occupations.
Gillham reported spending over $4,000 this period, with the lion’s share — $3,300 — going to Anchorage-based PIP Printing for flyers.
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 Lane Hillyer, a retired Air Force pilot, are vying for the seat vacated by Carpenter.
Elam added around $500 this period to his total of $8,275. That add came from five donations by four individuals. He spent $1,000 on radio advertising with KSRM Radio Group.
Hillyer is outpacing Elam in fundraising, adding $3,000 this period for $17,000 total. In his last report, though, Hillyer disclosed nearly $8,500 that came from himself or his wife. This period’s total is driven by two $1,000 donations that come from Soldotna resident Ron Weilbacher and Washington resident Lowell Cantrell. Both described themselves as self-employed.
This period, Elam spent $1,465 and Hillyer spent $244.
House District 6
There are three 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. Dawson Slaughter, an Anchor Point Republican and president of the Anchor Point Chamber of Commerce; Alana Greear, an elementary teacher at Kachemak-Selo School; and Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly President Brent Johnson, are all vying for the seat.
Vance added nearly $3,600 this period, across 16 donations. The largest, two separate donations of $500, came from the Alaska Republicans and Kenai Peninsula Republican Women of Alaska. She reported nearly $1,600 in expenses, including over $400 in stamps, $44 at “MAGA.com” for a Donald Trump and JD Vance campaign T-shirt, and $6 at the Kenai Arby’s for “food.” She reported her total income at around $26,000.
Dawson reported $50 income from a single donation this period, with his total fundraising at around $6,300. He spent $110, with $100 of that total being a filing fee with the Division of Elections. He has $1,160 on hand.
Greear added $1,700 in donations largely from people who describe themselves as “Retired.” She also received $500 from a political action committee representing the National Education Association of Alaska. Greear spent nearly $3,000, driven by $600 each for printing and campaign signs. Greear’s total income is over $11,000.
Johnson added $8,000 this period, coming from 25 individual donations. His total fundraising is at $28,000, outpacing incumbent Vance and both other challengers. The largest donation this period came from Homer resident Maureen Kennedy, who put in $2,000. Johnson also received $500 from a political action committee representing the National Education Association of Alaska.
Johnson spent over $4,000 this period, including nearly $2,000 in signs, $1,200 in salary to Audrey Wallace, and over $500 to the Alaska Democratic Party.
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 reported no activity this period. Stutes raised $1,200 from three individual donations and has $12,000 on hand. She also spent nearly $3,000 on ads with Kodiak Island Broadcasting.
Full APOC reports can be found at doa.alaska.gov/apoc.
Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.
