The fallout from last weekend’s disputed reorganization of the Alaska House GOP Minority deepened this week, as the husband of newly installed Minority Leader DeLena Johnson abruptly canceled the December meeting of Republican District 25, the district she represents and that he chairs.
The district typically meets during the second week of each month, but Chair Steve Johnson informed members by email that the December meeting was off, citing the holiday season, other party meetings, and unnamed individuals “who use the opportunity to sew [sic] confusion and turmoil.”
The cancellation comes amid mounting criticism over how House Republicans hastily reorganized on Saturday night, during a Zoom meeting called on short notice, and while House Districts 26 and 29 were both vacant. Nearly 40,000 Alaskans in neighboring Valley districts had no representation in the process that elevated Rep. DeLena Johnson of Palmer to Minority Leader.
Critics say the rushed vote violated the spirit of party transparency, and they point to the latest move in District 25 as another sign of poor governance. The optics of Steve Johnson presiding over the district that his wife represents have already raised concerns for years. Several grassroots members filed a formal nepotism complaint at an earlier district convention, but the matter was ignored.
His latest memo did little to quell those concerns. Instead of addressing what many see as the central problem — the exclusion of two districts from the leadership vote — Johnson suggested that others were responsible for the “confusion,” even though the turmoil stems from decisions made by a small group of Republican lawmakers who reorganized without full representation from the GOP caucus.
“Whenever there is turmoil in an organization there are always a few actors that use the opportunity to sew confusion and turmoil,” Johnson wrote, adding that legislative organizing in the coming month would inevitably lead to second-guessing.
Within District 25, the interpretation was blunt: The chair shut down the December meeting to avoid being challenged or potentially replaced at a moment when frustration is running high.
Across the state, GOP district committees have been issuing strongly worded letters condemning the House Minority shakeup and urging leaders to redo the process only after Districts 26 and 29 are filled. That growing rebellion is now aimed squarely at the new minority leadership team, and the controversy surrounding District 25 adds fresh fuel. Ten Republican districts have condemned the House Minority for what they see as a betrayal of election transparency.
More drama is expected as the Alaska Republican Party’s State Central Committee prepares to meet on Saturday. Many members want answers about the process by which the minority’s leadership was chosen and whether the party will take action to restore trust after what they view as a self-inflicted crisis.
For now, District 25 will not meet in December. But the political storm now swirling around its chair and his wife’s leadership role shows no sign of settling.
Pam Melin: Unity isn’t the problem; silence is. And Alaska has paid the price
7 thoughts on “District chair – husband to embattled Minority Leader – abruptly cancels district meeting”
Hiring family members to work together shouldn’t even be allowed.
Alaskans whether or not they are R or D, they need to learn how to lead correctly. Especially when our geographic location just conveniently sets us up to become a key Arctic player
We still act stupid and backward of a people while places as China or Dubai got us beat on technological innovation and infrastructure.
I would correct this article to say that an estimated 144,000+ Alaskans had no representation because 8 reps were not at the meeting. One couple stealing the voices of Alaskans like we’ve never seen before! We shall do what we please, and you will like it!
Even though I believe DeLena would be an excellent minority leader I am not satisfied with how the vote transpired. I am a district 29 constituent and really wish they had waited until the two affected districts were represented. I do not think there was any purposeful untowardness but I do wonder if the process was very thought out.
Mister Johnson’s action to abruptly cancel the monthly meeting just gives more reason to distrust his wife and himself. As if they KNOW they aren’t the best kind of leaders how thet presented themselves.
Because a person of integrity can go through a difficult season. However a person of integrity endures it and lets their character speak for himself. However most people of integrity they don’t make decisions as the Johnsons made. He would had listened to the Matsu districts and complied wisely knowing how that action to reorganize will had looked.
His wife’s actions is likely an unveiling of the type of people or Republicans they hid themselves behind a mask that just slipped. Now! The members can decide who are they and what is being a Republican to them? Do they want the kind of Republicans as the Johnsons and Rufferidges even Millets to be leading their district and State party? Where you can’t even be set apart from the Democrats that the Democrats “like” you because you are complementary with democrats. Or do they want to be represented as Republicans like the Downings, the Bronsons, the Wilsons, the Allards, the Taylors, the McCormicks, the Pruitts, the chenualts?
Just one more thought to chew on
Fall-winter 2025 and heading into 2026 is a TERRIBLE year for the Alaska Republican Party to be undergoing an identity crisis
Just as speaker during last nights Assembly Meeting pointed out “there will be no Alaskan more hurt than the working poor and the low income and shrinking middle class” IF the Republican Party loses both the Governor office to a poor candidate who’ll only serve BIG government interests and non profits as well as being a even smaller minority legislature group.
The Alaska Republican Party is running out of time and they STILL have too many gubernatorial candidates. Alaska is not Florida where we could have a list of R candidates and a Republican still will win. Nor AKDistrict 6 where it can have three R’s and one D and an R still will go to Juneau.
Alaska politics at its worse.
I am in District 25 and I think Steve does a good job. I just don’t see why people have their hair on fire over this. Who wrote this article anyway and who are these people feeding the information?