By SUZANNE DOWNING
Oct. 10, 2026 — Dave Bronson’s criticism of fellow Republican Bernadette Wilson has expanded into an attack on President Donald Trump, Gov. Mike Dunleavy and Alaska Republican Party Chair Carmela Warfield, according to a new report by the Anchorage Daily News.
The report follows Thursday’s televised gubernatorial debate, where Bronson repeatedly emphasized his friendly relationship with Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins while questioning Wilson’s experience and personal finances.
His repeated compliments of JKT has led to commentary that he appears to be seeking a job with the Kreiss-Tomkins administration.
In a Friday interview with the ADN, Bronson described Wilson as “emotionally unfit to be in office” and blamed Republican leaders for failing to narrow the field. Wilson is the leading Republican candidate, but Bronson thinks the party should have found a way to kick her off the ballot.
He also said that an endorsement from President Donald Trump could hurt him.
“Emotionally unfit” is a phrase that reflects Bronson’s reputation for being disrespectful of women in general. In the past, he has stuck to criticizing her business, but now he’s getting personal in his attacks.
“We just failed as a party,” Bronson told the newspaper, a clear critique of party leadership. His running mate, Josh Church, also lashed out this past week at this writer, rather than the failures of the Bronson-Church ticket:
Wilson leads the Republican candidates both in polling and fundraising. Bronson has lagged in fundraising and according to the 30-day report he filed with the Alaska Public Offices Commission, is down to his last $6,000.
The 30-day reports required by the Alaska Public Offices Commission show:
- Wilson reports approximately $526,000 raised and more than $207,000 in cash on hand.
- Dave Bronson reports about $57,000 raised and roughly $6,000 remaining.
- Treg Taylor reports approximately $268,000 in receipts, but the vast majority of that consists of candidate self-financing and donated services.
Yet Bronson’s proposed solution appears to have depended on party leaders intervening against Wilson, who has major national endorsements from Rep. Byron Donalds, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, and Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, as well as Congressman Nick Begich.
Fundraising reports sharpen governor’s race: Wilson leads Republicans, while JKT holds a commanding money advantage
Bronson told the ADN he had expected litigation involving Wilson’s business to force her from the race and had waited for Republican leadership to address it.
Bronson also said Warfield needed to become tougher on Republicans before taking on Democrats. He accused Gov. Dunleavy of remaining on the sidelines and failing to communicate sufficiently about the race.
But the ADN’s reporting includes an acknowledgment from Bronson that complicates those accusations: Dunleavy and Warfield helped convene post-primary discussions about consolidating the Republican tickets. Candidates considered withdrawing, sharing a ticket, and merging campaigns. Those proposals were rejected.
That means Republican leaders did attempt to broker an agreement. The candidates did not reach one.
Dunleavy and Warfield provided identical written statements encouraging Alaskans to vote for Republicans and rank all Republican candidates. They also urged repeal of the election system.
Former party chairman Randy Ruedrich disputed the premise that party leaders should force candidates out. He pointed instead to the absence of a Republican primary under Alaska’s open-primary system.
Wilson’s campaign chairman, former Lt. Gov. Craig Campbell, defended the party’s work and accused Bronson of undermining his own appeals for Republican unity. Campbell told the ADN that Bronson was breaking his promise against attacking fellow Republicans while urging voters to rank them.
Suzanne Downing: Bronson says ‘rank Republicans,’ then helps the Democrat tear one down
The interview adds another dimension to the behavior The Alaska Story documented during Thursday’s debate.
Bronson spoke warmly about getting to know Kreiss-Tomkins over coffee and emphasized their ability to agree across political differences. Wilson, meanwhile, pressed the Democrat on his record and policy positions. Bronson’s closing remarks questioned whether Wilson had her personal affairs in order.
As our subsequent column observed, that contrast creates a problem for Bronson’s unity message: He asks voters to rank Republicans while giving them reasons to reject the leading Republican.
What is now documented is the contrast between his treatment of the Democrat and his increasingly personal criticism of Wilson and other Republican leaders.
Bronson’s running mate, Josh Church, has responded to this publication’s coverage by accusing its editor of creating division.
“No one this cycle has created more division than Suzanne Downing and no one has been as consistent in mischaracterizing the truth,” Church wrote on Facebook.
The Bronson-Church obsession with Bernadette Wilson continues behind the scenes: Document drop
The ADN’s independent reporting, however, documents Bronson making the attacks himself. His criticism of Wilson, Warfield, and Dunleavy comes from his own interview with the newspaper.
Bronson is shooting the leading Republican and Republican leaders in general. Church is shooting the messenger. Reporting those remarks does not manufacture the division. It shows voters where it is coming from.
Read the Anchorage Daily News’ full report here. A subscription may be required.
7 thoughts on “Dave Bronson widens his attacks to include President Trump, Gov. Dunleavy and GOP party chair, after targeting Wilson at debate”
Dave Bronson is the Democrat’s dream come true. A wet dream come true. Like an angry old man hellbent on getting his own way, Bronson is showing his immaturity and inability to deal with people. He obviously can’t work cooperatively with his own party because he wants total control. I feel sorry for his running mate Josh Church, because neither are electable at this point. I’ll be ranking Wilson #1 and Taylor #2. That’s it.
Good points, Marla. After this is over and Bronson disappears for good, Josh Church is going to find it difficult to reintegrate with the Republican Party. Flying co-pilot with this sob would not be an enjoyable experience.
This is certainly one way to consolidate voters behind one Republican candidate. The question now becomes where will the few remaining Bronson voters rank the other candidates, or will they rank them at all?
Businesses have suffered from unpaid debt by Wilson and/or her business Denali Disposal that have reached the Alaska Court System. In my opinion she is not a good business person or qualified to serve as Alaska Governor.
Google A I and see for yourselves.
I change my vote to 1) Bronson, 2) Taylor.
Businesses have been suffering annually since Walker stole the PFD. And not fewer than 40 legislators have perpetuated this pain. I’ll rank all three Rs, but I’ll not be following your lead.
No matter how much of a prig Bronson is, Rank Him!
It may be his strategy for his new friend kjt to make you so mad that you won’t.
But because of dastardly ranked choice voting, if you don’t rank him your vote may become exhausted. Then jkt wins.
Also vote YES on 2 to do away with RCV so we don’t have to play these games anymore.
To think I voted for Bronson in the primary to keep click bishop out of the final four. What a mistake that appears to be at this stage.