By SUZANNE DOWNING
March 17, 2026 – A debate over Alaska’s budget took an interesting turn on Monday, when a Big Lake lawmaker pointed out that the political “majority” in the Alaska House doesn’t represent a majority of Alaskans.
During a recent floor session, Rep. Kevin McCabe (R-Big Lake) pointed to voter population data showing that members of the House Republican minority collectively represent slightly more Alaskans than the Democrat-led majority coalition.
According to McCabe’s calculation, the House minority represents 300,289 voters, while the House majority represents 299,834 voters, a difference of 455 people.
The comments came during debate over whether to draw from Alaska’s Constitutional Budget Reserve to fund a supplemental budget, a recurring flashpoint between the Republican minority and the bipartisan majority coalition.
The Alaska House is currently controlled by a coalition majority made up primarily of Democrats, along with independents and a couple of Republicans: Rep. Chuck Kopp and Rep. Louise Stutes. That coalition holds the necessary 21 votes to organize the chamber and control committees.
But McCabe’s argument highlights a different metric: not the number of seats, but the number of constituents each caucus represents.
Because House districts vary in size, and because political alignment does not always match geographic population centers, the partisan or coalition breakdown of seats does not always translate neatly into proportional representation of voters.
McCabe suggested that discrepancy matters when major fiscal decisions are being made.
The comments came as lawmakers considered tapping the CBR to cover a supplemental spending package, a move that typically requires a supermajority vote.
Republicans in the minority have frequently opposed such draws, arguing that the state should restrain spending or find alternative solutions rather than dip into savings.
By raising the representation numbers on the House floor, McCabe appeared to be making a broader point: that the coalition advancing the spending plan may not reflect the will of a true majority of Alaskans.
Watch the video clip of McCabe’s floor remarks here.
One thought on “By the numbers, Democrat-led majority represents fewer Alaskans than Republican minority”
There is elected More candidates behind an R and between Democrats and Republicans there are more registered Republicans. However I see the majority of Alaska legislature represents Alaska very well that Alaskans are very government dependent and they elect R’s and D’s who are government dependent too.
I’m sorry to have to Admit this Rep McCabe. Life on Alaska must get worse or worsen before it gets better. I hate to say that out loud because it sounds like I lost all hope and that there is no hope for Alaska. When in the pain and suffering and difficulty we find out what really mattered all along. That’s God!
If Alaskans knew better we’d done it by now even facing the inevitable discomfort of changes. Pride won’t let a lot of Alaskans get a title more uncomfortable than we already are. To get rid of pride you have to fall first.