Airbnb connection highlights reach of Alaska leftist political consulting firm as Biden vets look toward 2028

By SUZANNE DOWNING

June 8, 2026 – As Democrats begin positioning themselves for the 2028 presidential race, a new report from Politico’s Playbook offers an intriguing glimpse into the political networks extending from Washington, DC, all the way to Alaska.

According to Playbook, former White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain has been advising California Congressman Ro Khanna as Khanna prepares for a possible presidential campaign. Klain, one of former President Joe Biden’s closest advisers, now serves as chief legal officer for Airbnb.

The connection is notable because Alaska political consultant John-Henry Heckendorn, founder of Anchorage-based Ship Creek Group, previously worked directly for Airbnb founder and CEO Brian Chesky. Klain currently reports to Chesky as part of Airbnb’s executive leadership team.

There is no public indication that Klain and Heckendorn are working together politically. But the overlap illustrates how Alaska’s leftist political consulting class has relationships that reach far beyond state borders and into some of the most influential Democratic circles in the country.

Klain’s expanding political portfolio demonstrates his continuing influence within Democratic politics. Playbook reported that he has been advising not only Khanna but also California gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra, Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani during debate preparation, and congressional candidate Jack Schlossberg.

For Alaska Republicans, the development is a reminder that political influence in the state increasingly flows through professional consulting networks that operate both locally and nationally. The Republicans have no such campaign equivalent as the Ship Creek Group.

Founded in 2015, Ship Creek Group has become Alaska’s most successful political consulting firm. After helping Bill Walker become governor in 2014, Heckendorn formed the company that has helped elect Anchorage Assembly candidates, state legislators, and statewide candidates, while building a reputation for campaign operations, compliance management, digital strategy, and voter outreach.

The firm’s influence has been particularly visible in Anchorage politics, where progressive candidates have enjoyed a string of electoral successes over the past decade.

Ship Creek Group also operates within a broader network of Democratic and center-left consultants in Alaska. Among those firms is Amber Lee Strategies, a separate consulting company that frequently works alongside Ship Creek Group on campaigns and ballot initiatives.

That connection has become relevant in recent weeks because Amber Lee Strategies was involved in distributing the announcement for Petersburg resident Dan Sullivan’s US Senate candidacy. The filing generated controversy because Sullivan shares the same name as Alaska’s incumbent Republican US senator and is an attempt to create voter confusion.

Campaign finance records and public disclosures show that Amber Lee Strategies and Ship Creek Group often work on the same campaigns and political causes, although they remain separate businesses with independent ownership and management.

The emergence of Ron Klain’s post-White House political activities illustrates the interconnected nature of modern campaign politics. While Alaska may be geographically distant from Washington, D.C., its consultants, strategists, donors, and advocacy groups increasingly participate in national political networks that span from local assembly races to presidential politics.

For Republicans focused on Alaska’s 2026 elections, the lesson may be less about any single consultant and more about the sophistication of the political infrastructure that has developed around Democratic and progressive campaigns in the state over the past decade.