By SUZANNE DOWNING
Aug. 26, 2026 – Former Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson has answered the question posed by The Alaska Story earlier Wednesday: He will not withdraw from the race for governor.
In a video statement released Wednesday, Bronson made it clear that he intends to remain on the November ballot, even though Bernadette Wilson finished ahead of him in the Republican field during Alaska’s Aug. 18 primary.
That decision puts Bronson in direct conflict with a commitment he initialed and signed during the Republican Party’s pre-primary vetting process.
As The Alaska Story reported earlier, Bronson completed a House District 8 candidate questionnaire on May 28. Among the positions he initialed was:
“Agreeing to drop out of a race where you have garnered less than a majority of votes and where your continued competition with another Republican will split the vote.”
Bronson received neither a majority of the Republican vote nor the most votes among Republican candidates.
The latest unofficial count showed Wilson and running mate Mike Shower with 15,063 votes, while Bronson and running mate Josh Church had 11,822. Wilson led Bronson by 3,241 votes and finished as the top Republican.
Bronson nevertheless finished fourth overall, behind Democrats Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins and Tom Begich and Republican Wilson. Under Alaska’s top-four primary system, that gives Bronson the ability to advance to the Nov. 3 general election and go back on his word.
Bronson’s statement makes clear that he intends to do just that.
The issue raised by his signed commitment was never whether Bronson could legally remain on the ballot. He can. The question was whether he would honor the position he represented to Republican district leaders before the primary.
Wilson made a similar commitment publicly when she entered the race, saying verbally she would withdraw and support another Republican if that candidate finished ahead of her in the primary. Wilson ultimately finished as the leading Republican, so she has not been called upon to fulfill that promise.
Bronson’s decision means Republicans could enter the ranked-choice general election with two candidates on the ballot, while Kreiss-Tomkins and Begich occupy the other two positions. Together, the two Democrats collected more than 41% of the primary vote.
Supporters of Bronson remaining in the race argue that his withdrawal could allow another Republican, most likely former Attorney General Treg Taylor, to move into fourth place. Others contend that keeping two Republicans in the final four gives conservative voters two candidates to rank.
But those strategic arguments do not erase the document Bronson signed. The language he initialed specifically addressed the danger of continued competition between Republicans splitting the vote.
The Alaska Division of Elections lists 5 pm Monday, Aug. 31, as the deadline for a general-election candidate to withdraw.
Bronson’s statement indicates he will let that deadline pass and continue his campaign.
The question posed Wednesday was whether Bronson would stand by his written pledge. The answer is no.
12 thoughts on “Bronson answers the question: He will stay in governor’s race despite written pledge”
Very ashamed of you, Dave. And I voted for you last week. When Republicans lose the governorship in November to the radical Democrats, YOU will be remembered as the SPOILER and ENABLER. You will be joining Bill Walker in the dungeon.
Same. When you are in fourth place, the only reason to break from the team is self-pride. I too, will now be voting for Bernadette.
Republicans, again, internal fight;
Democrat’s pure delight.
Democrats on verge of storming;
Republicans take warning.
I’ll vote Bernadette and NOT rank anyone else. Taylor and all of the other single digit candidates also need to withdraw to clear the field or we’ll end up with a Democrat governor. If Bronson’s ego cost us the race, he should be banned to the RINO Murkowski-Giessel wing of the AK GOP.
Ranking is the only way to prevent a Democrat governor. Sad but true.
While I agree that candidates should honor their promises, it can’t simply be glossed over what would happen if Bronson dropped out by the deadline. Treg Taylor moves into fourth place and he didn’t pledge to drop out. Nor did the next candidate in line, Click Bishop. So the ideal scenario for Wilson/ Shower campaign would have been for Bronson to suspend his campaign (not withdraw) and urge supporters to support the primary winner. That’s not going to happen. The best path forward now would be for the two candidates to focus solely on their vision and policies and not waste time and resources attacking each other. Our collective goal is to defeat the Democrats, not batter each other. Both candidates need to tell their supporters to RANK THE RED.
This is why you were such a good mayor. The voice of reason.
I’m sure Dave is staying in to block the clicker.
Rank the red.
YES on 2!!
Under this pledge, every Republican candidate (including Bernadette) would need to drop out because no one got a majority… I hope Dave stays in. Bernadette may have strengths, but she is a weak candidate in the general. Everyone knows it. Give her a cabinet post!
I am so mad about this! I am totally going to vote for Wilson and Wilson alone! She’s a leader with integrity, who always fulfills her promises, someone who can always be counted on every time no matter what! Who’s with me?
All Republicans other than our front- runner must drop out.
Republicans should not dignify Ranked Choice Voting by participating in a process which is despised by most all Republicans.
Here is the statement made by the D-8 chairman Robert Wall. In fairness to Bronson, Wall’s statement should be made known. Bronson did NOT make this promise to the entire state. He made it to the D-8 GOP committee. And only the D-8 committee is qualified to know what “intent” meant, made to them in a 14-page questionnaire. They alone have every right to release Bronson, even if the strictest interpretation was sought. Here it is:
As Chairman of Alaska Republican Party District 8, I want to provide some clarity regarding the vetting document signed by Dave Bronson and the discussion surrounding his potential decision to remain in the race for Governor.
The language in our District 8 document states that a candidate agrees to withdraw from a race where they have “garnered less than a majority of votes and where your continued competition with another Republican will split the vote.”
No candidate received a majority of the vote in this primary. In fact, no candidate received even a quarter of the statewide republican vote. Under Alaska’s current top-four primary system, voters did not select a Republican nominee. Instead, the four highest vote-getters advance to the general election, regardless of party.
As things currently stand, Alaska voters have advanced two Republicans and two Democrats. There are so many candidates on the ballot that dropping out only advances another Republican candidate who had less support than Dave.
As Chairman, I believe it is important to clarify our intent rather than allow one sentence from our 14-page vetting document to be interpreted without its full context.
The question before Republicans now should be the same question that motivated this provision in the first place: Which candidate gives us the strongest opportunity to elect a Republican Governor in November?
That is the conversation Republicans should be having, and District 8 remains committed to Republican unity and victory in November.
— Robert Wall Chairman, Alaska Republican Party District 8″
Wilson and Bronson BOTH pledged to withdraw if they (1) get less than 50% of the GOP vote (both got less), and (2) their continued campaigning would split the GOP vote (they are both on the ballot and will surely split the GOP vote). Seems they’re both breaking the same pledge. But only Bronson gets slammed?