By Jim Ellis — Tuesday, August 18, 2026
Yesterday, we covered the Florida primary, which will be the most interesting primary election state this evening, but voters in Alaska and Wyoming will also make some key nomination decisions.
ALASKA
The open Governor’s race will attract the most attention in the Last Frontier as 12 Republicans, two Democrats, and three Independents, and their Lieutenant Governor running mates, battle to secure one of four general election slots in the jungle primary.
With Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) term-limited, the large field is jockeying for position in tonight’s qualifying election with the goal placing at least fourth. In the Alaska system, the top four finishers advance to the general election regardless of political party affiliation or percentage attained.
It is virtually assured that former state Sen. Tom Begich (D), brother of ex-US Sen. Mark Begich (D) and uncle to current Republican at-large Congressman Nick Begich III, will qualify because only two Democrats are included in the large field.
Originally, it was believed Begich was a placeholder for former at-large Congresswoman Mary Peltola (D). In fact, Begich said publicly at the time of his announcement that he would end his campaign if Peltola decided to run for Governor. When she instead opted for a race against Sen. Dan Sullivan (R), Begich remained as a gubernatorial candidate.
On the Republican side, Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom (R) deciding not to run for Governor meant the GOP no longer had a clear favorite. Some of the more prominent Republican contenders, largely comprised of ex-state legislators, are Attorney General Treg Taylor, former Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson, and ex-conservative radio talk show host Bernadette Wilson.
Among the three Independents is former Alaska Gov. Bill Walker, who served one term after unseating then-Gov. Sean Parnell (R) in the 2014 election. Gov. Walker would later suspend his 2018 re-election campaign that led to Dunleavy defeating former Sen. Mark Begich who was the Democratic gubernatorial nominee.
The Senate race will be less dramatic as Sen. Sullivan and Peltola will easily capture the first two general election slots among the 15 candidates including an Independent named Dan Sullivan. Peltola has been running a couple points ahead of Sen. Sullivan in early polling so the order of finish tonight could prove interesting.
In the at-large House race, Rep. Begich will secure the first general election ballot slot. Twelve contenders are opposing Begich, and it is difficult to ascertain which of them will advance. In any event, the Congressman will be a heavy favorite for re-election.
WYOMING
The Equality State is also an at-large congressional domain, and all three of their major offices on the 2026 ballot are open. Gov. Mark Gordon (R) is ineligible to seek a third term, though many believed he might challenge the state’s term limit law since others doing so have prevailed, but such did not happen; therefore, a competitive open Republican primary will be decided tonight.
Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R) is retiring after one term, and her replacement will be at-large Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-Cheyenne). The battle to replace the Congresswoman, however, will be a hotly contested affair.
The Wyoming system features a partisan plurality primary, so each party will nominate their candidates tonight irrespective of percentage attained.
Four Republicans are on the gubernatorial ballot including Trump endorsed Superintendent of Public Instruction Megen Degenfelder. Her principal opponent is state Senator and former state House Speaker Eric Barlow (R-Green River). Tonight’s winner becomes the next Governor in this safest of Republican states.
While at-large Rep. Hageman appears to be a lock to succeed retiring Sen. Lummis, the open House election features a crowded Republican field.
The key participants among the nine-person field are businessman Steve Friess, son of the late Republican mega-donor and ex-gubernatorial candidate Foster Friess, Secretary of State Chuck Gray, and several sitting and former state legislators. The Republican winner will succeed Hageman in the US House.