By SUZANNE DOWNING
The Alaska Republican Party State Central Committee voted Saturday to endorse Reps. Julie Coulombe and Jeremy Bynum, even though both Republican lawmakers voted last session to override the Republican governor’s vetoes.
The move is being read inside the Capitol as a major shift in party discipline, and one with immediate consequences.
Historically, Alaska Republicans have stood with their highest elected official of the party. Just as Donald Trump is regarded as the national standard-bearer, Mike Dunleavy is the de facto head of the Republican Party at the state level. Endorsing lawmakers who crossed the governor’s vetoes signals that such override votes now carry little to no electoral penalty within the party.
That signal is already shaping the Legislature’s next move.
House leaders are talking to leaders in the Senate about convening a joint session on Tuesday at 2 pm to attempt overrides of two more vetoed bills – SB 54 and SB 113—after tallying votes and concluding they can prevail.
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SB 54 is a measure sponsored by Rep. Matt Claman, a Democrat, that elevates interior designers to parity with architects for certain regulatory purposes.
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SB 113, sponsored by Sen. Bill Wielechowski, a Democrat, would expand taxation related to internet sales.
The governor vetoed both bills. Until now, overriding a veto carried the risk of party backlash, especially in primaries. Saturday’s endorsement vote appears to have removed that deterrent.
Lawmakers involved in the count say the endorsement decision effectively “freed” Republicans to vote against the governor without fear of losing party backing. With that calculus changed, Democrats believe they can assemble the two-thirds needed in joint session, and intend to take advantage of it.
The broader implication is a recalibration of power between the executive branch and the Legislature. If veto overrides no longer trigger consequences from the party apparatus, the governor’s leverage weakens considerably.
Whether this marks a one-off decision by party leaders or a durable new posture remains to be seen. The Legislature gavels in on Tuesday for the second part of the 34th legislative session.
