THE ALASKA STORY
Nov. 12, 2026 — Alaska Chief Magistrate Judge Kyle Reardon moved a major step closer to a lifetime federal judgeship, winning bipartisan support from the Senate Judiciary Committee to fill the seat left vacant by former Judge Joshua Kindred.
The committee voted 16–6 to advance President Donald Trump’s nominee to the full Senate. All 12 Republicans supported Reardon, joined by Democrats Dick Durbin, Amy Klobuchar, Chris Coons, and Mazie Hirono.
The six Democrats voting against him were Sheldon Whitehouse, Richard Blumenthal, Cory Booker, Alex Padilla, Peter Welch, and Adam Schiff.
Reardon drew broader support than the other three district court nominees advanced at the same meeting. Daniel Ballou of Kentucky and Richard Bennett and Courtney Coker of Texas each cleared the committee on 12–10 party-line votes.
On Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader John Thune filed cloture on Reardon’s nomination, taking the next procedural step toward a confirmation vote. A cloture filing begins the process of limiting debate; it does not itself confirm a nominee.
The action comes as Republicans work to confirm Trump’s judicial selections before Democrats take control of the Senate in January. Reardon’s four Democratic votes in committee give his nomination a measure of bipartisan backing as it heads to the floor.
The Alaska Story first covered Trump’s selection of Reardon in August. His formal nomination reached the Senate Sept. 14, and the Judiciary Committee held his confirmation hearing Sept. 16.
Reardon already serves on Alaska’s federal bench as chief magistrate judge. Confirmation would move him into a district judgeship, a presidential appointment subject to Senate approval and carrying lifetime tenure.
It would also fill the remaining vacancy among Alaska’s three authorized active district judgeships. The court currently lists Chief District Judge Sharon Gleason and District Judge Aaron Peterson as its active district judges. Matthew Scoble serves as a magistrate judge.
Kindred resigned in July 2024 after a Ninth Circuit Judicial Council investigation found misconduct involving an inappropriately sexualized relationship with a law clerk and a hostile work environment. Reardon’s nomination is specifically to fill Kindred’s former seat.
Both Alaska senators, Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, have supported Reardon’s selection.
Introducing him at his September hearing, Murkowski emphasized his career in public service and experience with Alaska’s federal caseload. He served as an Army judge advocate, then as a federal prosecutor, including seven years in Alaska, before becoming a magistrate judge in 2021.
Murkowski told the committee that Reardon had handled more than 3,000 criminal and nearly 500 civil matters as a magistrate. As an Alaska prosecutor, he was lead attorney on more than 120 cases, many involving child sexual abuse material or sex trafficking, and served in supervisory and specialized prosecution roles.
She also highlighted his rural Alaska outreach and work prosecuting drug trafficking.
With Thune now moving the nomination forward, the remaining decision rests with the full Senate.
6 thoughts on “Kyle Reardon clears Senate committee with bipartisan support for Alaska federal judgeship”
While I’ve no knowledge of Mr. Reardon, an endorsement from the Princess is a cause for some concern. Still, it should afford him a smooth ride through the flaccid Lame Duck Senate.
Non-political, federal bench experience, American Bar Association rating = Well Qualified. Bipartisan support in super polarized Senate Judiciary Committee. What’s not to like?
Of course no one gives Trump credit for nominating him
Point taken. Since President Trump took office he nominated people from a list submitted by two Senators. The first nominee withdrew after nomination. But Trump declined the other highly qualified and non-political people on the list. So new names were submitted..:. which got us Josh Kindred, nuff said. The third was Aaron Peterson who was confirmed and the fourth is moving forward. There is a ton of back story in all of this. Further affiant sayeth none.,
Help me out, what do you know about the American Bar Association? Is that some kind of group of expert lawyers? Are all lawyers members?
I expect that at least for a short time, the Left will be apoplectic that Judge Sharon Gleason will not be governing Alaska from her high station. Not to worry, the Deep State will stick Judge Reardon with the criminal clutter so that Judge Gleason can maintain control over the litigation of consequence.