Labor groups reportedly see newly minted Republican Ruby Jones as their best chance to defeat conservative Rep. Jamie Allard
By SUZANNE DOWNING
Aug. 31, 2026 — Alaska labor unions are pressuring Democrat Jim Arlington to withdraw from the House District 23 race and clear the way for Ruby Jones, a recently registered Republican backed by organized labor, sources have told The Alaska Story.
The strategy is unusual. Unions that have supported Arlington in the past are now betting that Jones has a better chance of defeating incumbent Republican Rep. Jamie Allard because Jones will appear on the November ballot with an “R” beside her name in this Republican stronghold.
Jones was registered as a nonpartisan before changing her registration to Republican last year and filing to challenge Allard in the conservative Eagle River district. Her primary endorsements included the Anchorage Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO; Employee Political Information Committee; and Laborers’ Local 71.
Arlington, a Democrat who challenged Allard in 2024, finished second in this year’s primary with about 32% of the vote. Allard led the field with more than 40%, while Jones finished a distant third with about 14%. Republican Nick Capozzi finished behind Jones. He has until 5 pm Monday to drop out of the race.
Despite Arlington receiving more than twice as many votes as Jones, unions now reportedly view him as an obstacle. Under Alaska’s ranked-choice voting system, Arlington would compete directly for the same anti-Allard voters labor leaders hope to steer toward Jones. Removing the declared Democrat from the race would allow Jones to present herself as a Republican alternative while consolidating support from Democrats, unions and voters opposed to Allard.
It is a political decoy operation.
The Alaska Story will henceforth refer to Jones as “Decoy Jones,” because the maneuver follows the same basic playbook used by Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. in Alaska’s US Senate race.
The other Sullivan — “Decoy Dan” — changed his registration to Republican as he entered the race against incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, despite a political history that included voting for Democrats Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. His matching name and new Republican registration created the potential to confuse voters and divide support that might otherwise go to the incumbent.
In House District 23, Jones does not share Allard’s name, but the strategy is strikingly similar: Adopt the Republican label, target the Republican incumbent and rely on support from political forces that ordinarily work to elect Democrats.
Jones’ union endorsements were already a bright red flag. The reported attempt to push Arlington aside makes the strategy considerably harder to disguise.
If Arlington withdraws, voters in one of Alaska’s most reliably conservative districts could face a contest in which organized labor’s chosen candidate appears on the ballot as a Republican — even though the unions backing her have historically helped finance the Democrat-led coalition controlling the Alaska House.
Allard, a conservative Republican and US Army veteran, has represented House District 23 since 2023. She has frequently stood her ground against the Democrat-led House majority and has opposed efforts to draw from state savings, expand government spending and strengthen union influence over state policy.
The unions appear to have concluded that an openly Democratic candidate cannot defeat her in Eagle River. Their alternative is to package their preferred challenger as a Republican and hope voters do not look behind the label.
Arlington’s withdrawal would complete the operation.
The pressure campaign, however, reveals the real contest taking shape in District 23: Jamie Allard, the Republican incumbent, against Decoy Jones, the union-backed Republican created to defeat her.
8 thoughts on “Sources: Unions pressure Democrat Jim Arlington to quit House District 23 race, clear path for ‘Decoy Jones’”
LOL. An offer Decoy Jones couldn’t refuse. Does Jones own a horse? Another union slave trying to sleep well.
Does Joey sleep with this fake Republican too?
Only when his wife is in Juneau, getting schtuped by some of the straight legislators. But don’t tell Joey this to his face. Let him hire his own detective.
Who is Joey?
Labor boss in Anchorage, and a player in politics. His wifey is a state senator out of Eagle River who claims to be a Republican but votes with Dems. And word is, she loves to fool around in Juneau.
Before I came to Alaska nearly 25 years ago, I had never seen so many people claiming to be Republican, while behaving like the worst of the Democrats.
That what RCV encourages.
Vote YES on 2.
Vote YES to end the mess.
I told Jones twice, “Good luck,” and Jones almost had me duped before I read this article. Shame on Jones for running the Kelly Merrick scam. The people of Eagle River will be played again; what a mess.