By Suzanne Downing 
Sen. Mike Shower’s resignation from the Alaska State Senate took effect on Monday, Nov. 3, marking the end of his seven-year legislative tenure and the beginning of his statewide campaign for lieutenant governor alongside Bernadette Wilson.
The Wasilla Republican, a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel and commercial pilot, announced earlier this fall that he would leave the Legislature to focus full time on the campaign, citing the constraints of state fundraising laws that prohibit legislators from raising money while the Legislature is in session.
Shower was first appointed to the Senate in 2018 by Gov. Bill Walker after Sen. Mike Dunleavy resigned to run for governor, and most recently served as Senate Minority Leader. He represents a large portion of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough that includes Wasilla, Willow, Sutton, and Big Lake. His departure not only creates a vacancy in Senate District O, but also opens the leadership role in the small Senate Republican minority caucus, which will now need to select a new leader ahead of the 2026 session. Also leaving soon is Sen. Shelley Hughes, who has announced her run for governor.
Under Alaska law, the process for filling Shower’s seat begins with local Republican Party officials from the district. They are expected to meet soon to select up to three nominees to recommend to Gov. Dunleavy. The governor will then appoint one of those names, or another qualified Republican of his choosing, within 30 days. The appointment must be confirmed by a majority of Republican members in the Senate. If a sitting House member, such as Rep. George Rauscher, (who has filed for the seat as a candidate, is chosen to fill the vacancy), it will trigger a second vacancy in the House, which would be filled through the same process.
Several potential replacements have already emerged. Among them are Rep. Rauscher of Sutton and Rep. Kevin McCabe of Big Lake, both well-known Mat-Su Republicans who share much of Shower’s conservative base. Either could be a natural fit to represent the district in the upper chamber.
Shower’s resignation was timed to avoid complications once the 2026 legislative session begins in January and to give his replacement time to prepare for committee assignments and constituent work. His exit also clears the way for a full campaign schedule with Wilson, whose bid for governor has quickly gained traction in conservative circles.
Wilson, a longtime conservative activist and former head of Americans for Prosperity-Alaska, announced her candidacy earlier this year and chose Shower as her running mate in September. The two share concerns about election integrity, resource development, and smaller government. Early polling among Republican voters shows Wilson as the frontrunner in the party’s field heading into the 2026 race, ahead of 11 other announced GOP contenders who have yet to formally announce.
Local Republican committees are expected to move swiftly to nominate replacements in the coming weeks, with Dunleavy’s appointment likely by early December. Whoever fills the seat will carry significant influence in one of Alaska’s most reliably conservative regions and will step into the job at a time when the Legislature continues debates over spending, the Permanent Fund, and the state’s energy future.
Bernadette Wilson remains the frontrunner in the Republican race for governor, according to various polls from both sides of the aisle, and with Shower now fully dedicated to the ticket, their campaign moves into high gear.
It’s 6:30pm Alaska time on Tuesday as I write this. Shower still appears as a sitting senator on the legislature’s website. Usually, they’re pretty diligent about that sort of thing.