By SUZANNE DOWNING
July 21, 2026 – Former Gov. Bill Walker’s latest campaign finance report shows his comeback bid is being financed largely by Walker himself and his running mate, Randy Hoffbeck, rather than by a broad base of contributors.
The Walker-Hoffbeck ticket reported $81,413.13 in total income through July 17. Of that, Walker and Hoffbeck supplied $51,069.14 themselves — nearly 63% of everything the campaign reported.
Walker contributed $25,000 in cash and another $1,069.14 through in-kind expenses, primarily social media boosts, website subscriptions and other digital campaign costs. Hoffbeck contributed $25,000 in two installments.
Once the candidates’ own money is removed, the campaign raised just $30,343.99 from everyone else.
The campaign report is in stark contrast to that of Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, who raised over $1.8 million, 80% from out of state
Historic haul: JKT raises $1.85 million for governor’s race — with 80% coming from outside Alaska
The next-largest contributor for Walker’s campaign was attorney Craig Richards of Anchorage, who gave $10,000. Richards served as attorney general during the Walker administration and later chaired the Alaska Permanent Fund Corp. board.
Richards’ contribution means Walker, Hoffbeck and one former Walker administration official accounted for $61,069.14, or three-quarters of all the income reported by the campaign.
The campaign’s fourth-largest funding source was Greg Orman of Leawood, Kansas, who contributed $5,000. Orman is a businessman who previously ran as an independent candidate for U.S. Senate and governor in Kansas.
Those four sources — Walker, Hoffbeck, Richards and Orman — provided nearly $66,070. The campaign raised only about $15,344 from all its remaining contributors combined.
The report presents a sharp contrast with the fundraising operation assembled by Democratic candidate Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, the former Sitka legislator who has collected large sums from an extensive network of donors outside Alaska.
Walker reported only $9,856 from out-of-state contributors, representing about 12% of his total income. More than half of that came from Orman’s single $5,000 contribution.
Colorado donors supplied $2,350, although $300 of that came from three contributors with the Walker surname: Adam Walker, Tessa Walker and Bob Walker. Two Minnesota contributors with the Hoffbeck surname gave a combined $126. The campaign report does not specify whether those donors are related to the candidates.
Other out-of-state contributions included $1,000 from John Hozey of Virginia, $1,000 combined from two Texas donors, $104 from Hawaii, $100 each from Nevada and Oregon, $50 from Montana and $26 from California.
In all, approximately $71,557, or 88%, was reported as coming from Alaska addresses. But that figure includes the more than $51,000 supplied by Walker and Hoffbeck themselves. Alaska donors other than the two candidates provided approximately $20,488.
Beyond the $10,000 from Richards, Walker’s Alaska support consisted primarily of smaller contributions from people associated with his previous administration, retired public officials and longtime political allies.
Former House Speaker Louise Stutes of Kodiak contributed $500. Former Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Mike Navarre, who served as commissioner of Commerce under Walker, gave $500. Former Alaska Department of Fish and Game Commissioner Sam Cotton contributed $1,000.
Lindsey and Greg Hobson of Anchorage provided a combined $1,168.99 in cash and an in-kind contribution. Andrew MacLeod of Anchorage gave $1,000.
Other $500 Alaska donors included Bruce Kovarik of Eagle River, Cindy Rymer of Anchorage, Steve Hovenden of Fairbanks, Charles Van Dongen of Palmer, Audra McCann of Anchorage and Mike Szymanski of Wasilla.
The remaining donations were generally in the range of $10 to $300, including several contributions of $26.
Walker, who served as governor from 2014 through 2018, is running as a nonpartisan candidate with Hoffbeck, his former revenue commissioner, as his lieutenant governor candidate. It is Walker’s third attempt to return to office since leaving the governor’s mansion.
The report shows the ticket has enough personal resources to establish a campaign operation. What it does not yet show is a groundswell of financial support from Alaska voters.
For now, the Walker-Hoffbeck campaign is mostly being financed by Walker and Hoffbeck.
2 thoughts on “Walker-Hoffbeck ticket supplies nearly two-thirds of its own campaign cash”
Craig Richards recently wrote a good opinion piece and I would encourage everyone to check it out. I agree. That Alaska would not have a government-centric economy, but we do not live in that world.
What do you guys wanna do. Hold a referendum? lol. No, I’m just joking! No, no, no.
With former Walker supporter, campaign bankroll, and law partner Robin Brena now spending well over a quarter million on the Tom Begich campaign does Walker even place in the top four? If Walker ever had the ability to read the room, he clearly lost it some time ago.