By SUZANNE DOWNING
May 2, 2026 – There’s a new word being weaponized by certain Alaska Republican moderates in Juneau: Divisive. And like most overused political labels, it now means almost nothing.
If you listen to the Republicans who are preparing to override Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s veto of the latest election bill, you’ll hear a familiar refrain: Anyone who opposes them is being “divisive.” That’s convenient but also backwards.
Because by that definition, most Republicans in Alaska, both elected and grassroots, are now “divisive.” Supporting a Republican governor? Divisive. Questioning a Democrat-led election overhaul? Divisive. Expecting lawmakers to align with the party platform? Divisive.
It’s an upside-down political world in Juneau these days.
We’ve seen this tactic before. In 2022, when conservative Republican Kelly Tshibaka challenged incumbent Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski, the same accusation was thrown around. Tshibaka was labeled “divisive” for daring to challenge a sitting Republican.
But what was actually happening?
Murkowski had long since distanced herself from the Republican base, abandoned party priorities, and openly opposed the party’s president.. The divide didn’t begin with the challenger but was the result of years of betrayal by the incumbent.
And now, history is repeating itself: A small bloc of Republican legislators is preparing to join Democrats in an attempt to override Dunleavy’s veto of what many conservatives view as an election overhaul that expands bureaucracy, weakens safeguards, and moves Alaska further away from voter confidence.
Instead of defending their position on its merits, some are reverting to a familiar tactic: Attack the critics.
Those who oppose the override are being labeled “Democrats.” Loyal Republicans are being recast as outsiders. The message is clear — fall in line, or be smeared.
What’s especially notable is how closely some of these Republican lawmakers are now echoing the talking points of outside influencers and political operatives — including those tied to groups like Alaskans for Better Elections, such as lobbyist Jerry Mackie, who has been aligned with Murkowski-world politics for years. Murkowski made a point of praising the election bill, Senate Bill 64, the miscarriage of legislation by Democrat Sen. Bill Wielechowski and Rep. Sarah Vance.
The rhetoric is nearly identical: Critics are misinformed. Concerns are exaggerated. Opposition is partisan.
But voters are paying attention.
They understand the difference between disagreement and disloyalty. They know the difference between standing on principle and shifting with political winds.
And they tend to remember moments like this, when lines are clearly drawn.
The override vote expected Monday will be one of those moments.
Five or six Republicans may decide to side against a Republican governor and alongside Democrats to push through a bill that has sharply divided their own party. That is their prerogative.
But they don’t get to redefine what betrayal is. They don’t get to vaccinate themselves against their vote by calling defenders of the governor a “Democrat.” And they don’t get to have lobbyist and bullyJerry Mackie write their op-eds without getting called out for it as being beneath them as sitting senators. If either of them thinks that higher office is in their future, they’re in for a surprise.
Disagreement within the conservative ranks is what we actually honor. Holding elected officials accountable and standing with your party’s principles and its elected governor is not something that needs to be apologized for. It’s something I hope all conservative Alaskans have the courage to do.
If anything, the real test of unity isn’t whether everyone agrees, but whether those in power can tolerate disagreement without trying to muzzle the base.
Sadly, that test is being failed in Juneau right now.
Suzanne Downing is founder and editor of The Alaska Story, and is a longtime Alaskan.
Suzanne Downing: Five fatal flaws in Senate Bill 64 and why Alaskans demand a veto
Alex Gimarc: The perpetual voter registration loop created by Senate Bill 64
Randy Ruedrich: Senate Bill 64 fails voter privacy test
David Eastman: Why do some Republican legislators get personally invested in passing Democrat election bills like SB64?
10 thoughts on “Two legislators weaponize the word ‘divisive’ by labeling conservatives as ‘Democrats’”
Say their names, Suzanne: It’s Mike Cronk and Rob Yundt, two Republicans from Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s home turf who are screwing the governor and …. no, we will not forget that.
The far left wing “progressives” in Alaska often lack original ideas. Their proposals frequently originate from national radical left wing think tanks. Calling opponents “divisive” is one of those ideas and was used against me in the recent election. Defending common sense and parents’ rights against a leftist super majority on the Anchorage School Board that required them to at least defend their actions was labeled “divisive” and “obstructionist.”
Some “progressives” are anything but truly progressive as they do not respect free speech by their opponents. Specific examples: not allowing me to speak before moving amendments and not recording my motions in the minutes if they did not have a second. Both of these actions by the School Board violated Robert’s Rules of Order. Additionally, not allowing parents to read from questionable books in school libraries at a School Board meeting was another example. My defending parents’ free speech rights was unfairly called being in favor of “book banning.” Then there was the Superintendent’s actual banning former Cabinet Member Doctor Ben Carson from talking to students at ASD schools about health while having Planned Parenthood teach health classes. Then there was listing radical Marxist critical race theory books as “resources” on the ASD website (without any disclaimer) while refusing to list any books in opposition to critical race theory.
Common sense Alaskans of all political parties need to fight back against these attacks on free speech by exposing them for what they are: antidemocratic illegitimate political tactics that are the antithesis of protecting the political speech necessary for our constitutional republic to succeed.
This is my last week being forced to state the obvious by School Board rules, I am speaking only for myself and not the Anchorage School Board or Anchorage School District.
Disgusting. It would not matter either how many Alaskan voting citizens called or wrote in against the stupid bill foisted upon us. There is an unacceptable disconnect between the citizens of our state and those who are supposed to represent us but alas do not. Most of our legislature represent their own gain and their own personal advantages. Both Yundt and Cronk are shameful and no doubt that is who the article is about. Government employment pay and benefits were never supposed to be beyond the private sector. Defined benefits are a dinosaur that breaks budgets and are unaffordable. Our state has no money, our pfd is continually robbed yet the shisters in Juneau want to resurrect what needs to remain extinct just to keep the entitlement going so they can stay in power. It is sickening.
Looks like the override session is scheduled for 1100 Monday. Might be a good time to light up the phone lines. Cheers –
Another sign of failed AKGOP leadership at its core from its chairwoman and staff, district presidents because those 5-6 they Are the Republicans who don’t know what being a Republican means. The Republicans will vote against the override, they are getting the job done and have better understanding what being a Republican means and you don’t vote for election bills at the detriment of the Alaska Republican Party.
Tuna
Don’t blame the party or its leadership because conservatives don’t vote and allow the same people to be elected over and over. Have you led a group to start calling these people? We are all accountable! Easy to blame the party for a bunch of lazy Republicans!
“Tuna”. LOL………even if an honest fat-fingered typo……………..
Name the names.
Divisive? They haven’t seen “divisive”. I and many, many others will forever refer to those who oppose Dunleavy on this as democrats, as leftists at every opportunity. Members of the Murkowski camp. That’s it, guys. Make your choice.
Good thing you included that disclaimer paragraph at the end of your comment, Dave. They would have brought you up on an ethics violation for not stating the obvious. Democrats are not only non-originalists in thought, they truly are a collection of retards. I’m sure there are other reasons you left the Democrat Party years ago. Hillary Clinton was the single most outspoken person for dividing people into groups and getting them to fight each other. This tactic is not new, however, because the Democrats always employed this method as their hallmark to political action. DEI, Affirmative Action, Quotas, Climate Action, etc……all designed to divide people…..never to unify.
Too bad the Anchorage School Board lost their only member who has a sound, rational mind. You are too good to be one of them, Dave.