When Republican and Democratic state lawmakers broke a rightwing trifecta to reinstate the Alaska House bipartisan governing coalition, it was to protect Alaskans from the worst of Governor Dunleavy’s radical policies. In 2020, after several Republican coalition lawmakers lost their primaries to rightwing candidates, The States Project worked to elect lawmakers that could preserve it.

In 2024, thanks in part to our investment, enough lawmakers committed to forming a bipartisan governing coalition were elected to create a majority in both chambers. In the Senate, 21 lawmakers joined the bipartisan coalition, while 19 did not. In the House, 14 lawmakers joined the bipartisan coalition, while 6 did not. This is the first time in decades that there will be a bipartisan coalition in both chambers at the same time.

In 2024, The States Project worked to rebuild governing power for state lawmakers in Alaska who are committed to protecting personal freedoms, defending democracy, and policies that will improve people’s daily lives. For the first time in decades, there was a bipartisan coalition in both the House and the Senate in Juneau. 

In Alaska, it was critical to help voters understand the new ranked-choice system of voting, which removed some ability by the radical right to primary candidates who showed interest in joining the bipartisan coalition that stands against the rightwing governor.

In the Alaska State Senate, all nine Democrats and eight of 11 Republicans have formed a bipartisan coalition, leaving three rightwing state senators in the minority.

Candidates our efforts supported won four seats, including two flips, accounting for a critical 20 percent of the coalition’s seats. This allowed the bipartisan coalition in the House to be rebuilt in 2021.