2020 Alaska Senate election

The 2020 Alaska Senate elections took place as part of the biennial 2020 United States elections. Voters in Alaska elected state senators in 11 of the state's 20 senate districts – the usual ten plus one special election. State senators serve four-year terms in the Alaska Senate, with half seats up for election every two years. Primary elections on August 18, 2020, determined which candidates appeared on the general election ballot on November 3, 2020.

2020 Alaska Senate election

← 2018November 3, 20202022 →

11 of 20 seats in the Alaska Senate
11 seats needed for a majority
 Majority partyMinority party
 
LeaderLyman Hoffman[a]Tom Begich
PartyRepublicanDemocratic
Leader sinceJuly 9, 2019January 15, 2019
Leader's seatS DistrictJ District
Seats before137
Seats after137
Seat changeSteadySteady
Popular vote104,46739,447
Percentage57.84%21.84%

Results:
     Democratic hold      Republican hold
     No election

Senate President before election

Cathy Giessel
Republican

Elected Senate President

Peter Micciche
Republican

Following the previous election in 2018, Republicans had control of the Alaska Senate with 13 seats to Democrats' 7 seats. One Democrat caucused with the Republicans, giving them a governing majority of 14 seats.

Composition

AffiliationParty
(shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
RepublicanDemocraticVacant
Before election137[a]200
After election137200
Change

Predictions

SourceRankingAs of
The Cook Political Report[1]Lean ROctober 21, 2020

Overview

2020 Alaska Senate election
General election — November 3, 2020
PartyVotes%Seats not upSeats upCandidatesBeforeAfter+/–
Republican104,46757.8458101313
Democratic39,44721.8443577
Independent26,28614.557[b]00
Alaska Independence6,7533.741
Write-ins2,6501.47
Libertarian9980.551
Total180,601100119242020

Close races

DistrictWinnerMargin
District HDemocratic15.7%
District MRepublican15.5%
District NRepublican4.1%

Incumbents defeated

In primary

Two Republican incumbents lost renomination.

  1. N District: Senate President Cathy Giessel lost renomination to Roger Holland.
  2. B District: John Coghill lost renomination to Robert Myers Jr.

Summary of results

DistrictIncumbentPartyElected SenatorParty
BJohn CoghillRepRobert Myers Jr.Rep
DDavid S. WilsonRepDavid S. WilsonRep
FShelley HughesRepShelley HughesRep
HBill WielechowskiDemBill WielechowskiDem
JTom BegichDemTom Begich[c]Dem
LNatasha von ImhofRepNatasha von ImhofRep
M (special)Josh RevakRepJosh RevakRep
NCathy GiesselRepRoger HollandRep
PGary StevensRepGary StevensRep
RBert StedmanRepBert StedmanRep
TDonny OlsonDemDonny OlsonDem

Detailed results

 District BDistrict DDistrict FDistrict HDistrict JDistrict LDistrict M (special)District NDistrict PDistrict RDistrict T 

District B

Republican primary

John Coghill, the incumbent since 2009, was facing opposition in the Republican primary from Robert Myers Jr., who announced his candidacy for the seat on July 10.[2] Trailing by 14 votes in the official count, incumbent Coghill asked for a recount,[3] but, when the lead remained the same after the recount, Coghill conceded defeat and Myers was declared the winner.[4]

Republican primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanRobert Myers Jr. 1,739 50.2
RepublicanJohn Coghill (incumbent)1,72549.8
Total votes3,462 100.0
General election
2020 Alaska Senate election, district B
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanRobert Myers Jr. 10,187 57.1
IndependentMarna Sanford6,61037.0
IndependentEvan Eads (unofficially withdrew)9865.5
Write-inWrite-ins670.4
Total votes17,867 100.0
Republican hold

District D

David S. Wilson, the incumbent since 2017, was facing opposition in the Republican primary from five other candidates.[5] Thomas Lamb, who filed as a nonpartisan on the Democratic primary ticket, qualified automatically for the general election.[6]

Republican primary
Republican primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanDavid S. Wilson (incumbent) 1,734 33.9
RepublicanStephen Wright1,32525.9
RepublicanLoy "Santa" Thurman1,13422.2
RepublicanBee Rupright4699.2
RepublicanChandra McCain-Finch3406.7
RepublicanHuhnkie Lee1102.2
Total votes5,112 100.0
General election
2020 Alaska Senate election, district D
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanDavid S. Wilson (incumbent) 12,600 69.2
NonpartisanJames D. "Dan" Mayfield2,61814.4
IndependentThomas Lamb[d]2,61314.3
Write-inWrite-ins3862.1
Total votes18,217 100.0
Republican hold

District F

Republican Shelley Hughes, the incumbent since 2017, and Independent Stephany Jeffers were the only two candidates to file for this seat. They both advanced unopposed to the general election.[7] Jeffers withdrew her candidacy on August 31 and was replaced by fellow Independent Jim Cooper.[8]

2020 Alaska Senate election, district F
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanShelley Hughes (incumbent) 14,751 71.3
IndependentJim Cooper[d]4,90423.7
LibertarianGavin Christiansen9984.8
Write-inWrite-ins290.1
Total votes20,682 100.0
Republican hold

District H

Democrat Bill Wielechowski, the incumbent since 2007, and Republican Madeline Gaiser were the only two candidates to file for this seat. They both advanced unopposed to the general election.[9]

2020 Alaska Senate election, district H
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticBill Wielechowski (incumbent) 7,297 57.8
RepublicanMadeline Gaiser5,31842.1
Write-inWrite-ins190.1
Total votes12,634 100.0
Democratic hold

District J

Democrat Tom Begich, the incumbent since 2017, was the only candidate to file for this seat. He ran unopposed in the general election.[9]

2020 Alaska Senate election, district J
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticTom Begich (incumbent) 9,235 92.6
Write-inWrite-ins7347.4
Total votes9,969 100.0
Democratic hold

District L

Republican primary

Natasha von Imhof, the incumbent since 2016, was facing opposition in the Republican primary from challenger Stephen Duplantis.[10] Roselynn Cacy, the only Democrat to file, qualified automatically for the general election.[9] Independent candidate Jeff Landfield withdrew his candidacy on August 31.[11] Republican primary loser Stephen Duplantis announced intentions to register as a write-in candidate.[8]

Republican primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanNatasha von Imhof (incumbent) 2,162 53.5
RepublicanStephen Duplantis1,88246.5
Total votes4,044 100.0
General election
2020 Alaska Senate election, district L
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanNatasha von Imhof (incumbent) 10,203 59.7
DemocraticRoselynn Cacy6,70639.3
Write-inWrite-ins1691.0
Total votes17,078 100.0
Republican hold

District M (special)

After the death of Sen. Chris Birch in August 2019,[12] Governor Mike Dunleavy appointed state representative Josh Revak to the Senate the following month. Revak was running as the incumbent and was seeking his first full term. He was challenged by two candidates in the Republican primary.[13] In addition, two candidates were contesting the Democratic primary.

Democratic nominee Anita Thorne withdrew her candidacy on August 31.[8]

Republican primary
Republican primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanJosh Revak (incumbent) 2,499 66.2
RepublicanRay Metcalfe91124.2
RepublicanHarold Borbridge3629.6
Total votes3,772 100.0
Democratic primary
Democratic primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticAnita Thorne 2,732 87.5
DemocraticNicholas Willie38912.5
Total votes3,121 100.0
General election
2020 Alaska Senate special election, district M
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanJosh Revak (incumbent) 10,390 57.6
IndependentAndy Holleman7,59642.1
Write-inWrite-ins550.3
Total votes18,041 100.0
Republican hold

District N

Cathy Giessel, the incumbent since 2011 and the President of the Senate since January 2019, was facing opposition in the Republican primary from DOT&PF measurement scientist Roger Holland.[14] Additionally, two candidates were contesting the Democratic primary.[15]

Republican primary
Republican primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanRoger Holland 3,686 64.2
RepublicanCathy Giessel (incumbent)2,05535.8
Total votes5,741 100.0
Democratic primary
Democratic primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticCarl Johnson 2,247 54.1
DemocraticLynette Moreno Hinz1,90745.9
Total votes4,154 100.0
General election
2020 Alaska Senate election, district N
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanRoger Holland 10,501 49.7
DemocraticCarl Johnson9,64845.6
IndependentCarolyn "Care" Clift9594.5
Write-inWrite-ins400.2
Total votes21,148 100.0
Republican hold

District P

Gary Stevens, the incumbent since 2003, was facing opposition in the Republican primary from former state house candidate John Cox.[16] Challenger Greg Madden contested the general election on the Alaskan Independence Party ticket.[17]

Republican primary
Republican primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanGary Stevens (incumbent) 2,086 52.9
RepublicanJohn "Bear" Cox1,85447.1
Total votes3,940 100.0
General election
2020 Alaska Senate election, district P
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanGary Stevens (incumbent) 12,507 64.7
IndependenceGreg Madden6,75334.9
Write-inWrite-ins750.4
Total votes19,335 100.0
Republican hold

District R

Republican primary

Bert Stedman, the incumbent since 2003, was facing opposition in the Republican primary from handyman Michael Sheldon.[2]

Republican primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanBert Stedman (incumbent) 1,926 63.8
RepublicanMichael Sheldon1,09236.2
Total votes3,018 100.0
General election
2020 Alaska Senate election, district R
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanBert Stedman (incumbent) 14,578 93.7
Write-inWrite-ins9856.3
Total votes15,563 100.0
Republican hold

District T

Donny Olson, the incumbent since 2001, was running unopposed in the Democratic primary. Two Republican candidates, Kotzebue vice-mayor Thomas Baker and Deering tribal president Calvin Moto II, challenged him for the seat.[18]

Republican primary
Republican primary
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanThomas Baker 674 60.7
RepublicanCalvin Moto II43739.3
Total votes1,111 100.0
General election
2020 Alaska Senate election, district T
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticDonny Olson (incumbent) 6,561 65.1
RepublicanThomas Baker3,43234.0
Write-inWrite-ins910.9
Total votes10,084 100.0
Democratic hold

See also

Notes

References