Wrangell Representative Peggy Wilson knocked out two Ketchikan opponents to win the Republican nomination for the new House District 33.
Ketchikan is the largest community in the district, which also includes Saxman, Coffman Cove, Thorne Bay and several other Prince of Wales Island communities.
Wilson won 46 percent of the 2,145 ballots cast. Ketchikan’s Agnes Moran took 32 percent and Patti Mackey, also from Ketchikan, got 22 percent.
Ketchikan Democrat Matt Olsen was unopposed in the race and will face Wilson in the November 6th general election. Incumbent Republican Representative Kyle Johansen of Ketchikan will appear on that ballot as an independent.
No other Southeast legislative primary had an in-party race this year.
The new House District 33 had one Republican and one Democrat on the ballot.
Political newcomer Jonathon Kreiss-Tomkins of Sitka collected 1,256 ballots for the Democratic nomination. Incumbent Bill Thomas of Haines wrapped up the GOP nomination with 937 votes. The district also includes Craig, Hoonah, Angoon, Kake and Metlakatla.
The new Senate District Q also saw one candidate from each party, each an incumbent.
Sitka Republican Bert Stedman won his party’s nomination with 2,874 votes. Democrat Albert Kookesh clinched his party’s slot with 1,462.
The primary winners face off against each other in the November general election.
There’s no race for either of Juneau’s House Districts. Republican Cathy Munoz is unopposed in District 31, which includes Juneau’s Mendenhall Valley and airport area. So is Democrat Beth Kerttula, whose District 32 includes downtown Juneau, Douglas, Petersburg, Skagway and Gustavus.
Juneau’s Senate seat, District P, is not on the ballot this year.
Click here to read all the primary results.
Ed Schoenfeld is Regional News Director for CoastAlaska, a consortium of public radio stations in Ketchikan, Juneau, Sitka, Petersburg and Wrangell.
He primarily covers Southeast Alaska regional topics, including the state ferry system, transboundary mining, the Tongass National Forest and Native corporations and issues.
He has also worked as a manager, editor and reporter for the Juneau Empire newspaper and Juneau public radio station KTOO. He’s also reported for commercial station KINY in Juneau and public stations KPFA in Berkley, WYSO in Yellow Springs, Ohio, and WUHY in Philadelphia. He’s lived in Alaska since 1979 and is a contributor to Alaska Public Radio Network newscasts, the Northwest (Public Radio) News Network and National Native News. He is a board member of the Alaska Press Club. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, he lives in Douglas.
