Republican · Alaska governor · 2026
Bernadette Wilson
Wilson’s working life has taken her from the skating rink to the radio studio to the garbage business.
Biography
Bernadette Wilson’s working life has included figure skating, talk radio and running an Anchorage garbage hauling business.12 She has three children and is a great niece of former Governor Wally Hickel.1 She identifies as a Naknek tribal member of Aleut descent, with a grandmother born in Naknek.2
Wilson owns Denali Disposal and has worked with conservative organizations including Americans for Prosperity and the Alaska Policy Forum.2 Her radio work included cohosting with Democrat Ethan Berkowitz, before his election as Anchorage mayor.1 This is her first campaign for elected public office.2
Her earlier political work included speaking for the 2010 ballot campaign to require parental notification before a minor’s abortion.3 Voters approved the initiative, but the Alaska Supreme Court struck it down in 2016 as violating the state constitution’s equal protection guarantee.4
Wilson faces Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins and two other Republicans, Dave Bronson and Treg Taylor, in the November contest.5 She proposes following the statutory Permanent Fund dividend formula, opposing new taxes and auditing state government for efficiencies.5 On schools, she proposes using artificial intelligence for individual learning plans and wants evidence of how additional spending would improve student performance.5 She would also give an annual public address focused on the state budget.5 Her disagreement with Kreiss-Tomkins centers on how to balance dividend payments, public services and the fund’s long term finances.5
Record and controversies
Unpaid business bills
Reporting based on court records documented default judgments after Wilson and Denali Disposal did not respond to lawsuits over unpaid bills in 2019 and 2022; her Permanent Fund dividend was garnished in the later case.6 In the October 8 interview, the reporter said Wilson had not provided a detailed explanation despite interview requests.6 At candidate forums, Wilson had spoken more generally about experiencing financial hardship and reaching rock bottom.6
Final campaign finance order
On October 8, the Alaska Public Offices Commission ordered Wilson to pay a $2,473.50 civil penalty and amend campaign reports.7 It found a prohibited $25,000 corporate contribution, expenditure reporting errors and reimbursement violations.7 The commission substantially reduced the reimbursement penalty, noting that small campaign expenses had been publicly reported, and allowed her to retain air travel reimbursements.7 The order permits an appeal within 30 days; that right does not itself establish that an appeal was filed.7