By SUZANNE DOWNING
Oct. 18, 2026 – Rep. Jamie Allard has received the endorsement of Gun Owners of America in her campaign for reelection to Alaska House District 23, adding the national gun-rights organization’s backing as she seeks another term representing Eagle River.
The endorsement brings a prominent Second Amendment voice into a race where organized labor is spending heavily to defeat the Republican incumbent. She is the first sitting legislator to be endorsed by the group.
Founded in 1976, Gun Owners of America is the “no compromise” gun lobby and represents more than two million gun owners. Its work includes lobbying, grassroots organizing, candidate evaluations, and litigation defending the right to keep and bear arms.
GOA has become an increasingly significant alternative for gun owners seeking strong national advocacy as the National Rifle Association has struggled with financial troubles, leadership upheaval, and declining membership. Those problems have shaken confidence in the NRA while creating room for other gun-rights organizations to expand their influence.
For Allard, the endorsement provides another distinction in a contest that includes Democrat Jim Arlington and false-flag Republican Ruby Jones, whose recent party switch and union backing have drawn scrutiny.
The Alaska Story previously reported that Jones changed her registration from nonpartisan to Republican before challenging Allard. That report also described sources saying labor unions wanted Arlington to withdraw so anti-Allard voters could consolidate behind Jones.
The financial support for Jones is documented.
Putting Alaskans First Committee, a labor-backed independent expenditure group, has reported advertising and mail expenses supporting Jones while opposing Allard. A Sept. 23 Alaska Public Offices Commission filing listed $10,000 in planned Meta and Google advertising supporting Jones and another $5,000 opposing Allard, along with additional pro-Jones mail expenses.
The same filing identifies the committee’s chair as Kimberly Hays, political director of the Alaska AFL-CIO, and its treasurer as Joelle Hall. The committee lists the same Anchorage office address as the Alaska AFL-CIO.
Its financial backing comes heavily from organized labor, including teachers’ unions, public-employee unions, and electrical workers’ organizations.
That political operation extends to the governor’s race. Putting Alaskans First reported a $175,000 radio advertising effort benefiting Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, according to reporting on its campaign disclosures.
Jones’ support from that network raises a straightforward question for Eagle River voters: What political direction would she take if elected under the Republican label?
The Alaska Story describes Jones as a “decoy” Republican, in the same vein that the Dan J. Sullivan in Petersburg is known as Decoy Dan, because he was recruited to run to drain votes from the sitting US Sen. Dan S. Sullivan.
With Gun Owners of America backing Allard and organized labor financing the efforts to replace her, District 23 voters have a clear view of two competing political networks investing in the outcome.
The general election is Nov. 3.
