Mat-Su Assemblyman Michael Bowles launches Republican primary challenge against Rep. DeLena Johnson

By SUZANNE DOWNING

May 21, 2026 – A new Republican primary battle is brewing in the Mat-Su Valley, as Mat-Su Borough Assemblyman Michael Bowles announced he is challenging Rep. DeLena Johnson for House District 25.

Bowles made the announcement Thursday during an appearance on “The Amy Demboski Show,” setting up what is expected to become one of the most closely watched Republican legislative races in Alaska ahead of the 2026 election.

Johnson, the House Republican minority leader and former mayor of Palmer, has come under intense criticism from many conservatives after voting in a way that helped derail key Alaska LNG legislation during the closing days of the legislative session.

The fight over the gasline legislation has become a political flashpoint inside Republican circles, particularly among conservatives who believe lawmakers failed to seize the moment for a once-in-a-generation opportunity to advance the long-discussed Alaska LNG project. The legislative maneuvering placed the project in jeopardy at a critical moment, as developer Glenfarne has warned that construction contracts and commercial arrangements cannot remain open indefinitely.

Bowles enters the race positioning himself as a conservative alternative focused on property rights, limited government, lower taxes, and fiscal restraint.

According to his campaign website, Michael Bowles campaign website, Bowles served in the US Army and came to Alaska while stationed at Fort Richardson in 2008. He later worked for the State of Alaska as an OSHA industrial hygienist, an investigator for the Alaska Board of Pharmacy, and executive administrator for the board. He currently serves as the Mat-Su Borough District 1 assemblyman.

Bowles and his wife Amanda also operated the Happy Bison Barbeque food truck in the Mat-Su Valley while he completed his master’s degree.

“While on the Mat-Su Assembly, Michael fights for personal liberty, property rights, small government, lower taxes, and fiscal responsibility,” his campaign biography states.

The challenge comes at a politically vulnerable moment for Johnson.

Some have speculated that Johnson’s positioning during the final days of session may have been tied to future House leadership ambitions, including a possible attempt to become House speaker during the next legislative reorganization. Johnson has not publicly confirmed any such plans but those maneuverings are seldom discussed in public.

The race also carries added political sensitivity because Johnson’s daughter works for the North Slope Borough, a government entity with substantial interests tied to North Slope resource development and taxation issues surrounding the gasline project.

District 25 covers much of the Palmer area and has historically leaned strongly Republican, meaning the GOP primary could effectively determine the eventual winner of the seat.