By SUZANNE DOWNING
April 15, 2026 – A review of campaign filings for Sitka Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins’ 2026 gubernatorial bid raises questions about who is helping manage, and potentially channel, the more than $1 million he says he has raised in just a matter of weeks.
Kreiss-Tomkins, often referred to as JKT, entered the race on Feb. 1, 2026, one day after Alaska Public Offices Commission reporting deadlines had passed. That timing means detailed disclosures of his fundraising, including donor identities, will not be publicly available until July, the next deadline.
In the meantime, the campaign has issued a series of announcements touting rapid fundraising success: more than $400,000 at launch, over $750,000 within two weeks, roughly $900,000 by mid-March, and more than $1 million by late March, a pace that is historically fast for a non-self-funded candidate who has been invisible in Alaska politics for a couple of years.
But while the total continues to climb, the structure behind the campaign’s financial operation is drawing scrutiny.
Campaign filings show a roster of nine deputy treasurers that stretches far beyond Alaska. One third of them are based in New York and others are tied to national environmental advocacy networks, elite universities, and political activism.
Of the New Yorkers, they are not deep-pocket individuals, but political activists.
Among them is Layla Murphy of Ridgewood, New York, who describes herself on LinkedIn as a bilingual social service professional focused on immigration systems and “advancing social and environmental justice.” Another, Julian Chapin, is listed in filings with an Anchorage address, although earlier filing connected him to New York City, and he does not appear in Alaska’s voter registration rolls.
Ryan Paolilli, of Poughkeepsie, New York, is also listed as a deputy treasurer. In a previous New York congressional primary, Paolilli was named in a complaint alleging that petition witnesses falsely attested to signatures they did not personally observe. The complaint stated that evidence showed witnesses “did not personally witness and identify all of the signatures” as required under election law. That case was later deemed moot and did not proceed. Paolilli has also been active in gun-control advocacy, including organizing a student walkout while in high school following a school shooting.
Another deputy treasurer, Freya Chay, is listed with a Kenai address but does not appear in Alaska’s voter rolls. Chay, who holds a master’s degree in Earth Systems from Stanford University, has worked in climate policy and carbon markets, advocating for stricter standards and transparency in emissions offset programs.
Million-dollar mystery: Sitka Democrat JKT surges past $1 million, but where’s the money coming from?
Sue Litman of Sitka, also serving as a deputy treasurer, was involved in organizing efforts to recall Gov. Mike Dunleavyin 2019, helping raise tens of thousands of dollars for that campaign. Joe Pate, a 2019 Sitka High School valedictorian, is another listed deputy treasurer who previously spoke at a student-led gun control rally. JKT’s mother in Sitka is also a deputy treasurer.
The only Anchorage-based deputy treasurer listed is Julia Gregory, a Stanford graduate and principal with Boston Consulting Group, adding to a pattern of highly credentialed, nationally connected individuals serving in financial roles for the campaign.
Kreiss-Tomkins launches bid for governor, but Alaska won’t see his donor list until weeks before the primary
Under Alaska law, deputy treasurers are authorized to receive campaign contributions and help manage financial transactions. Political observers note that such roles can sometimes function as part of broader fundraising networks, often referred to as bundling, in which individuals gather and route contributions through coordinated channels.
The geographic spread and professional backgrounds of Kreiss-Tomkins’ deputy treasurers stand out, as being dominated by New York operatives raises questions about whether national donor networks are playing a large role behind the scenes.
For now, the full picture of who is funding the campaign and how those funds are being aggregated remains out of public view. Under current APOC rules, Alaskans will not see a detailed accounting of donors and contributions until mid-summer filings are released.
