By SUZANNE DOWNING
March 14, 2026 – The Valley Republican Women’s Club on Friday evening formally endorsed Republican candidate Bernadette Wilson for governor, becoming the first Republican women’s organization in Alaska to back a candidate in the increasingly crowded 2026 race.
About 50 supporters gathered at Susitna Brewing Company on the shore of Big Lake for the event, which drew a largely Mat-Su Valley crowd eager to hear from Wilson and rally behind her campaign.
The endorsement rally included a recorded message from Congressman Byron Donalds of Florida, who has already endorsed Wilson’s campaign. In the video, Donalds praised Wilson’s grassroots leadership and urged supporters to help propel her candidacy forward as Alaska heads toward the 2026 election.
Wilson, a longtime business owner, conservative activist and political organizer of Aleut descent, announced her run for governor last May shortly after former Click Bishop and Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom signaled their own interest in the race. Ten months later, the field has swelled dramatically.
Pam Melin, president of the Republican club, said the members were impressed with the bold and unflinching stands that Wilson is willing to take, and the fact that she is a hard worker, a business owner, and a solid conservative. Out of all the clubs, the club is one of the most active and influential. VRWC was the first Alaska Republican club to endorse Nick Begich for Congress, which started the ball rolling among the many clubs during the 2024 election cycle.
“Balancing a budget isn’t complicated,” Melin said. “Ask a mom on a tight budget or a business owner. It’s Accounting 101: If you can’t afford it, you can’t spend it.”
Speaking to the crowd Friday evening, Wilson thanked the club for its early show of support and emphasized the importance of grassroots organizing as the campaign unfolds.
“I am deeply honored and humbled to receive the endorsement of the Valley Republican Women’s Club,” Wilson said after the event. “This is a remarkable group of women who have long stood for the values that make Alaska strong — faith, family, freedom, and a commitment to our communities. I am enthusiastically grateful for their support and proud to stand alongside them as we work to secure a brighter future for Alaska.”
A record 17 candidates have now entered the race for Alaska governor, the largest field in state history. Political observers say the list may not be final, with chatter continuing in political circles that another candidate could still file.
The Mat-Su Valley is playing an outsized role in the early stages of the contest. Three gubernatorial candidates — former state senator Shelley Hughes, Mat-Su Borough Mayor Edna DeVries, and former state revenue commissioner Adam Crum — all hail from the region. Wilson’s running mate, former state senator Mike Shower, is also from the Valley.
The Valley Republican Women’s Club endorsement marks an early milestone for Wilson’s campaign as candidates begin jockeying for support ahead of what is shaping up to be one of the most competitive and unpredictable gubernatorial races in Alaska’s history.
3 thoughts on “Valley Republican Women endorse Bernadette Wilson for governor at Big Lake gathering”
There are two people that I look at in a different light after watching them cuddle princess Lisa. One is Bernadette. The other is that guy that has a radio show in the afternoon with some guy that goes by the name of crash. He makes a lot of money advertising for the princess every six years.
That tells me neither one of the two are true conservatives.
Post a link to the ‘cuddle.’ I think I missed that.
“…faith, family, freedom, and a commitment to our communities (future),”
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This resonates more (for me) than “Fish, Family, & Freedom,” which seems to promote a return to a lifestyle practiced 200 years ago (and for a long time prior to).
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Mary and those who would support this notion can move in that direction any day they choose. Let me know when you get the genie 🧞 back in the bottle.