2026 Election Information

Dave Bronson
Campaign website: davebronson.com

What state actions will you support to address declining salmon populations, bycatch, changing ocean conditions, habitat loss, and other pressures on Alaska fisheries, while strengthening Tribal representation in state fisheries management?

I support eliminating bycatch, protecting habitat, and responding to changing conditions with sound science. I'm for banning bottom trawling and midwater trawling in 0-3 miles, and increasing subsistence and sport representation on the NPFMC and Board of Fisheries by expanding the number of seats on BOF. Tribal governments and Alaska Native communities need a stronger, earlier role through consistent consultation, meaningful participation in fisheries management, and access to the data behind decisions.

What will you do to protect and strengthen subsistence and ensure Alaska Native communities can continue their customary and traditional ways of life, including addressing gaps in Alaska’s current state-federal subsistence system?

I'll strengthen subsistence representation on the NPFMC and Alaska Board of Fisheries, and work with federal partners to address gaps in the state-federal system. I'll also explore responsible fish-seeding efforts, guided by traditional and local knowledge, to support healthy runs and help Alaska Native communities sustain their customary and traditional ways of life.

What specific steps will you take to improve educational outcomes for Alaska Native students, strengthen Tribal involvement in education, and support culturally relevant education, language, and Indigenous Knowledge, including your position on expanding State-Tribal education compacting?

I'll work with Tribal governments, families, educators, and school districts to identify what Alaska Native students need to succeed. I support expanding State-Tribal education compacting so Tribes can help shape and deliver education that reflects their communities. Culturally relevant coursework should include Alaska Native history, cultures, and Indigenous Knowledge. I'll support efforts to preserve and teach Alaska Native languages in schools and strengthen local partnerships. We should track attendance, graduation, literacy, and other outcomes so programs are accountable and effective. Every student deserves a strong education that opens doors while respecting their identity and community.

What will you do to improve access to public safety and health care in rural and remote Alaska Native communities, including sustained funding for VPSOs, mental and behavioral health services, addiction treatment, and suicide prevention? How will you support Tribal authority under VAWA, including the Alaska Pilot Program, and address MMIP?

I'll support sustained state funding for VPSOs, who are hired by regional organizations and provide essential local public safety services. I'll work with rural communities to improve access to health care, mental and behavioral health services, addiction treatment, and suicide prevention. . We must improve coordination among AST and VPSO and agencies so cases are handled promptly and families receive clear communication. I'll support prevention efforts and better resources to address Missing and Murdered Indigenous People cases. Families deserve consistent support and a clear path to services as they seek answers.

What investments and administrative changes will you pursue to improve reliable transportation, housing, energy, telecommunications, and broadband in rural and coastal communities, including maintaining and strengthening the Alaska Marine Highway System?

I'll work with rural and coastal communities to identify infrastructure priorities and remove barriers that delay needed projects. I fully support building and maintaining a robust Alaska Marine Highway System, with reliable service and a plan for vessels, terminals, and maintenance. I'll pursue BEAD funding and other federal resources to expand dependable broadband in underserved areas. I'll also support investments in reliable energy, safe housing, and transportation links that connect communities to health care, schools, and jobs. State agencies should coordinate better with Tribes, local governments, and regional partners so projects reflect local needs and funding is used effectively.

What will you do to strengthen rural economies, workforce development, and economic opportunities, and how will you partner with Tribal governments to support locally driven economic development?

I'll strengthen rural economies by supporting locally driven development in partnership with Tribal governments, communities, and regional businesses. I support the Power Cost Equalization program and efforts to lower Railbelt energy costs, which can help reduce costs across Alaska. Responsible development of Alaska's mineral resources can create jobs, grow state revenue, and generate ripple effects for local businesses and communities. I'll also support workforce training in rural Alaska that prepares Alaskans for those opportunities and helps communities build lasting economic capacity.

What is your position on the federal acquisition of land into trust for Alaska Tribes, and how will your administration work with Tribes on land-base, land-management, and jurisdictional issues?

I'll fight for Alaskans' right and responsibility to govern their own lands. I'll work directly with Tribes and federal partners on land-base, land-management, and jurisdictional issues, seeking clear agreements that respect local priorities and Alaska's interests.

What policies will you pursue for artificial intelligence in State government and Alaska’s economy, and how will you protect Tribal sovereignty over Tribal data, languages, and cultural knowledge?

I'll pursue responsible use of AI in state government to improve services, while protecting privacy as my number one focus. Alaska should also prepare its workforce and businesses to benefit from this technology. Tribal data, languages, and cultural knowledge must remain under Tribal authority, and I'll work with Tribes to ensure AI systems respect their sovereignty on their data and it is not used without their consent.

What specific commitments are you prepared to make to Alaska’s federally recognized Tribes, and how will you ensure those commitments result in measurable action during your term?

I'm committed to regular government-to-government meetings with Alaska's federally recognized Tribes and to involving them early in decisions that affect their communities. My administration will identify clear actions, responsible agencies, and timelines with Tribal leaders, then report progress publicly and meet with Tribes regularly to address what is working and what needs to change.

Tlingit & Haida does not endorse any candidate for public office. Candidate responses are provided for informational purposes only and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Tlingit & Haida.

Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins
Campaign website: jktforak.com

What state actions will you support to address declining salmon populations, bycatch, changing ocean conditions, habitat loss, and other pressures on Alaska fisheries, while strengthening Tribal representation in state fisheries management?

I have consistently maintained that subsistence use should be our top priority in fishery management. Long before it gained political support, I advocated for limits on bycatch - especially from trawl fisheries - at the North Pacific Council, including leading advocacy efforts to lower Chinook, chum, and halibut bycatch limits in the Gulf of Alaska as well as the Bering Sea. I expressed these views publicly in op-eds in the Anchorage Daily News, urging lower bycatch caps to safeguard Alaska's fisheries. The state should act as a cooperative partner with federal agencies, tribal governments, and local communities in supporting subsistence. We should also actively seek to understand changing ocean conditions, so that we can look for ways to adapt and mitigate impacts on salmon habitat. Alaska Native people must be included in all of these efforts. I will prioritize their knowledge in the state's climate and resource decisions, rather than marginalize it.

What will you do to protect and strengthen subsistence and ensure Alaska Native communities can continue their customary and traditional ways of life, including addressing gaps in Alaska’s current state-federal subsistence system?

Protecting subsistence and Title VIII of ANILCA are critical priorities for me. I would end state litigation against Title VIII, defend the rural preference, and invest in robust, scientific management of our fish, wildlife, and state lands agencies so that our subsistence resource stocks are thriving and sustainable for generations to come. I also want to make sure that the Division of Subsistence is fully funded and its work respected.

What specific steps will you take to improve educational outcomes for Alaska Native students, strengthen Tribal involvement in education, and support culturally relevant education, language, and Indigenous Knowledge, including your position on expanding State-Tribal education compacting?

Regarding STEC, I support collaboration with tribes based on the results of the five pilot programs and the experience of participating communities. During this process, my administration will remain committed to ensuring each compact school provides a high-quality public education. I also strongly support Alaska Native language education. I believe the state should promote immersion programs, master-apprentice programs, and official teacher certification pipelines to support both the livelihood and revival of Alaska Native languages statewide.

What will you do to improve access to public safety and health care in rural and remote Alaska Native communities, including sustained funding for VPSOs, mental and behavioral health services, addiction treatment, and suicide prevention? How will you support Tribal authority under VAWA, including the Alaska Pilot Program, and address MMIP?

We need to ensure adequate funding for DPS and VPSOs. This means allocating resources to recruit and train Troopers and VPSOs who are well-equipped to serve rural areas. In the VPSO program, higher retention rates and continued collaboration with rural communities are essential for further progress. I want to make sure that VPSOs have access to the same benefits as other public safety employees in Alaska, across the board. I am a strong supporter of giving tribal governments the right to self-governance. I believe administrative red tape should not limit how law enforcement operates in rural Alaska. I will support legislation that draws on the findings of the VAWA Alaska Pilot Program and the voices of local leaders in the areas that it will affect.

What investments and administrative changes will you pursue to improve reliable transportation, housing, energy, telecommunications, and broadband in rural and coastal communities, including maintaining and strengthening the Alaska Marine Highway System?

I will establish a dedicated office to help rural Alaska communities administer CDBG block grants, providing technical assistance to bolster limited local capacity for local housing development. I will also expand energy efficiency by implementing existing statutory authorities and establishing statewide energy management practices. Universal, equitable broadband access is another priority. I am monitoring GCI's acquisition of Quintillion and will oppose any anticompetitive practices that threaten service quality or labor standards. The Dunleavy Administration has weakened AMHS. After years of underfunding and service cuts, AMHS needs a sustained capital and operating commitment so that Alaskans in coastal and Southeast communities can rely on it again. I understand on a very personal level how the last decade of divestment and neglect has left of our marine highway system a shell of what it once was: cancelled sailings, communities cut off for weeks (or months), vessels laid up or mothballed, recruitment challenges, on and on and on.

What will you do to strengthen rural economies, workforce development, and economic opportunities, and how will you partner with Tribal governments to support locally driven economic development?

Workforce development plays a crucial role in fostering economic growth in rural Alaska. The state should work alongside tribal governments to increase funding for vocational training and technical colleges, collaborate with local school districts, and explore innovative strategies to prepare rural Alaskans for high-paying, meaningful jobs. I am encouraged by Yuut Elitnaurviat (and have toured their facilities) and support increased funding for this and comparable initiatives.

What is your position on the federal acquisition of land into trust for Alaska Tribes, and how will your administration work with Tribes on land-base, land-management, and jurisdictional issues?

I support the federal land-into-trust process for federally-recognized tribes in Alaska.

What policies will you pursue for artificial intelligence in State government and Alaska’s economy, and how will you protect Tribal sovereignty over Tribal data, languages, and cultural knowledge?

When I enter office, I will institute a full moratorium on all data-center construction in Alaska until the legislature develops a policy to properly regulate both data centers and AI. I believe elections should require disclosure of AI-generated content in political advertising and establish laws that prohibit deepfakes that mislead the public. Additionally, consumer protection efforts must strengthen enforcement against AI-enabled fraud, voice cloning, and impersonation, with particular emphasis on safeguarding children and seniors. Alaska Native languages, tribal data and cultural knowledge are the property of the tribe to which they belong. As governor, I would fight to ensure predatory outside buyers cannot purchase or use this information without proper consent.

What specific commitments are you prepared to make to Alaska’s federally recognized Tribes, and how will you ensure those commitments result in measurable action during your term?

My administration will look like Alaska. I will appoint Alaska Native leaders across state boards, commissions, the cabinet, and other senior positions - not as symbolism, but because that expertise makes state government better. I will build a true government-to-government partnership with Alaska's tribes, and work collaboratively with ANCSA corporations. There will be regular, direct engagement between my administration and tribal leadership. I will end lawsuits by the state against the federal government on subsistence priority and co-management. As governor, I would seek input and collaboration from tribal governments and Alaska Native corporations on shared priorities. I want to continue the work the Walker Administration started to partner with tribal governments by compacting.

Tlingit & Haida does not endorse any candidate for public office. Candidate responses are provided for informational purposes only and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Tlingit & Haida.

Treg Taylor
Campaign website: www.tregforak.com

What state actions will you support to address declining salmon populations, bycatch, changing ocean conditions, habitat loss, and other pressures on Alaska fisheries, while strengthening Tribal representation in state fisheries management?

Healthy salmon runs are essential to Alaska's culture, food security, economy, and way of life. Protecting salmon must be a top priority of state government. My approach begins with a simple principle: Salmon First. Subsistence First. Utilization Before Waste. I support stronger accountability measures to reduce salmon bycatch, including improved monitoring, real-time reporting, hard bycatch caps tied to stock abundance, and meaningful consequences for repeated violations. Conservation measures must be responsive to changing ocean conditions and declining returns, while habitat protection and restoration efforts should focus on maintaining healthy spawning and rearing environments for future generations. Alaska Native communities possess generations of knowledge about local fisheries, environmental changes, salmon migration, and ecosystem conditions. I support expanding Tribal participation in fisheries management through advisory structures, collaborative management efforts, increased consultation, and greater representation in decision-making processes. Traditional knowledge and local observation should complement scientific research to create better outcomes. Reducing bycatch must remain the primary goal. However, when unavoidable bycatch occurs, it should never be wasted. Fish taken as bycatch should be immediately preserved and processed in pristine condition at the expense of the fishery responsible for the bycatch. Those responsible should bear the full cost of handling, processing, storage, and transportation. The processed fish should then be transferred to the State of Alaska for distribution to eligible subsistence users and communities experiencing food insecurity or severe salmon shortages. No Alaska family should face an empty smokehouse while usable fish are discarded or wasted. If fish are taken from Alaska waters, they should benefit Alaskans. Long-term success requires healthy salmon populations, responsible fisheries management, habitat stewardship, meaningful Tribal engagement, and a commitment to ensuring that Alaska's fish resources first serve Alaska's people and future generations.

What will you do to protect and strengthen subsistence and ensure Alaska Native communities can continue their customary and traditional ways of life, including addressing gaps in Alaska’s current state-federal subsistence system?

Subsistence is far more than a source of food. It is a foundation of culture, identity, family, and community for many Alaska Native people. Protecting and strengthening subsistence requires one fundamental commitment: restoring abundance. My administration will not seek to overturn the Katie John decisions. Instead, we will focus on restoring healthy fish and wildlife populations so that subsistence users have access to the resources they depend upon. The greatest threat to subsistence is not allocation. The greatest threat is the lack of sufficient fish and game to meet the needs of communities across Alaska. I will advocate for state management of fish and wildlife and work aggressively to restore maximum sustained yield as the primary objective of resource management. That means using the best available science, local observations, and traditional knowledge to rebuild salmon runs, restore wildlife populations, improve habitat conditions, and increase harvestable abundance. I believe Tribal governments, Alaska Native Corporations, local communities, and state managers should work together as partners in stewardship. Alaska Native communities possess generations of knowledge about local conditions, migration patterns, habitat, and wildlife populations. Those perspectives should help guide management decisions. Under the current system, allocation debates often occur because there are not enough resources to satisfy all users. My goal is to change that by increasing abundance. While federal subsistence boards retain their allocation responsibilities under existing law, the State should focus on rebuilding fish and game populations to levels that provide substantially greater opportunities for all Alaskans while maintaining the legally recognized subsistence priority. Strong subsistence traditions require strong resource populations. By restoring abundance, strengthening local partnerships, improving stewardship, and keeping management focused on healthy fish and wildlife populations, we can ensure future generations are able to continue their customary and traditional ways of life.

What specific steps will you take to improve educational outcomes for Alaska Native students, strengthen Tribal involvement in education, and support culturally relevant education, language, and Indigenous Knowledge, including your position on expanding State-Tribal education compacting?

Every Alaska student deserves access to a high-quality education that prepares them for success while respecting the culture and values of their communities. I support strengthening literacy and early learning programs, improving teacher recruitment and retention, expanding career and technical education, and ensuring educational funding reaches classrooms and students. I support State-Tribal education compacting where it improves student outcomes and provides communities with greater flexibility to meet local needs. Tribal organizations have demonstrated their ability to deliver innovative educational models that reflect local priorities and student needs. I also support culturally relevant education, Indigenous language preservation, and opportunities for Elders and community leaders to share traditional knowledge with younger generations. Educational success and cultural preservation are not competing goals. Strong schools should help students succeed academically while strengthening their connection to their heritage and communities. Finally, I support expanding workforce training opportunities that connect students to careers in fisheries, healthcare, public safety, construction, transportation, energy, mining, agriculture, and other sectors critical to Alaska's future.

What will you do to improve access to public safety and health care in rural and remote Alaska Native communities, including sustained funding for VPSOs, mental and behavioral health services, addiction treatment, and suicide prevention? How will you support Tribal authority under VAWA, including the Alaska Pilot Program, and address MMIP?

Every Alaskan deserves access to basic public safety and healthcare services regardless of where they live. Rural communities face unique challenges due to distance, weather, workforce shortages, and limited infrastructure. I support strengthening local public safety partnerships, increasing recruitment and retention efforts in rural communities, expanding behavioral health and substance abuse treatment services, and improving access to telehealth and community-based healthcare programs. I support continued collaboration among Tribal governments, State agencies, local organizations, and Federal partners to address violence, improve public safety outcomes, and ensure victims and families receive support. Addressing Missing and Murdered Indigenous People requires better coordination, improved data sharing, stronger investigative resources, and sustained engagement with affected families and communities. Alaska's Tribal governments should be active partners in developing and implementing solutions. My administration will work to ensure rural communities have access to the public safety resources, healthcare services, mental health support, and addiction treatment programs necessary to build healthier and safer communities.

What investments and administrative changes will you pursue to improve reliable transportation, housing, energy, telecommunications, and broadband in rural and coastal communities, including maintaining and strengthening the Alaska Marine Highway System?

Strong communities require reliable infrastructure. I support a rural-first infrastructure strategy focused on transportation, broadband, housing, water and sewer systems, energy infrastructure, and modern communications networks. These investments improve public health, educational opportunity, economic development, and quality of life. Broadband access is increasingly essential for telehealth, education, commerce, and public safety. We should continue expanding connectivity while ensuring that infrastructure investments are coordinated and cost-effective. Affordable and reliable energy remains one of the most important challenges facing rural Alaska. I support an all-of-the-above energy strategy that includes local energy development, transmission improvements, microgrids, renewable technologies where practical, and infrastructure investments that lower long-term costs. I also support maintaining and strengthening the Alaska Marine Highway System as a critical transportation link for coastal communities. The system is not simply transportation infrastructure; it is an economic lifeline connecting communities to jobs, healthcare, education, and essential services. Housing remains a significant challenge in many Alaska communities. My administration will work with Tribes, Alaska Native Corporations, local governments, and private-sector partners to support practical housing solutions that address overcrowding, affordability, and workforce needs.

What will you do to strengthen rural economies, workforce development, and economic opportunities, and how will you partner with Tribal governments to support locally driven economic development?

Strong communities require strong local economies. I support a diversified approach that combines resource development, fisheries, tourism, agriculture, infrastructure investment, and small business growth. Responsible development of Alaska's natural resources can create jobs, generate revenue, and support long-term prosperity while respecting environmental stewardship and subsistence needs. Workforce development must begin in our schools. I support expanding career and technical education, apprenticeship programs, industry partnerships, and workforce training opportunities linked to real employment opportunities throughout Alaska. Agriculture, mariculture, fisheries, resource development, transportation, and tourism all have an important role to play in creating opportunity across rural Alaska. Communities should be empowered to pursue development strategies that match their local strengths and priorities. Partnerships with Tribal governments are essential. Local leaders are best positioned to identify community priorities and economic opportunities. My administration will work collaboratively with Tribes, Alaska Native Corporations, local governments, and private-sector partners to support locally driven development strategies that reflect community goals and create lasting opportunities for future generations.

What is your position on the federal acquisition of land into trust for Alaska Tribes, and how will your administration work with Tribes on land-base, land-management, and jurisdictional issues?

My approach is grounded in respect, consultation, and practical problem-solving. Land, resources, and jurisdictional questions often involve complex legal and historical issues that affect Tribal governments, local communities, the State, and federal agencies. My administration will engage in meaningful consultation with Tribes when land-management and jurisdictional decisions affect their communities. I support collaborative approaches that promote local stewardship, improve communication, reduce conflict, and create certainty for all parties involved. I believe decisions affecting Alaska communities should involve the people most directly impacted by those decisions. My goal will be to strengthen partnerships and seek solutions that support community stability, economic opportunity, responsible resource management, and respect for Tribal interests. Whatever disagreements may exist on jurisdictional questions, Alaska's future will be stronger when Tribal governments, Alaska Native Corporations, local communities, and the State work together to solve problems and create opportunities.

What policies will you pursue for artificial intelligence in State government and Alaska’s economy, and how will you protect Tribal sovereignty over Tribal data, languages, and cultural knowledge?

Artificial intelligence presents significant opportunities to improve government services, education, healthcare delivery, transportation, and economic development. It also raises important concerns regarding privacy, data ownership, transparency, and cultural preservation. Any State use of artificial intelligence should include strong safeguards protecting personal information, transparency regarding how AI systems are used, and accountability for decisions made using AI tools. I recognize that Tribal governments have unique interests in protecting Tribal data, Indigenous languages, cultural resources, and traditional knowledge. My administration will engage directly with Tribal leaders when developing AI policies that may affect these interests and will support frameworks that respect Tribal sovereignty and local control over culturally sensitive information. AI should be a tool that strengthens communities, expands opportunity, and improves public services while respecting privacy, local control, and cultural integrity.

What specific commitments are you prepared to make to Alaska’s federally recognized Tribes, and how will you ensure those commitments result in measurable action during your term?

I commit to meaningful engagement, consistent communication, and respectful government-to-government relationships with Alaska's federally recognized Tribes. My administration will prioritize early consultation on issues affecting Tribal communities, including subsistence, fisheries, education, infrastructure, public safety, economic development, and energy. Consultation should occur before decisions are made, not after decisions are finalized. I believe accountability requires measurable action. My administration will establish regular engagement with Tribal leaders, identify shared priorities, track progress on major initiatives, and maintain transparency regarding commitments and outcomes. I will work to strengthen partnerships that improve educational outcomes, increase access to affordable energy, expand infrastructure, protect subsistence resources, create economic opportunity, and support healthy and resilient communities throughout Alaska. The goal is simple: stronger communities, stronger families, and greater opportunities for future generations. By working together, we can ensure that Alaska's resources, traditions, and opportunities continue to support the people who call this state home.

Tlingit & Haida does not endorse any candidate for public office. Candidate responses are provided for informational purposes only and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Tlingit & Haida.

Mary Sattler Peltola
Campaign website: Marypeltola.com

What legislation, funding, or federal actions will you support to expand Tribal co-stewardship and co-management of federal lands, waters, fisheries, forests, and wildlife?

I will bring my lived experience heading a tribal co-management body to Washington to fight for our communities. I will champion legislation to ensure Alaska Native voices are recognized and taken into account in the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council process as well as in the Federal Subsistence Management Program. I will always advocate for Native communities to have a say in management systems to better ensure continued access to subsistence resources now and for our future generations.

What will you do to protect and strengthen the federal subsistence priority under Title VIII of ANILCA and ensure Alaska Native communities can continue their customary and traditional ways of life? What changes are needed to address gaps in the current federal subsistence system?

Native communities must have a seat at the table when these decisions are made and rest assured that I will always fight every day to protect and strengthen Title VIII and the rural substance priority. These federal laws were enacted decades ago and need to be updated to reflect the changes in abundance, availability, invasive species, and allow tribes to have more say so in the eligibility of hunters and fishermen.

What federal actions will you support to improve educational outcomes for Alaskan students and Alaska Native students, particularly in rural and remote communities, and strengthen Tribal involvement in education, language revitalization, culturally relevant education?

Early education is critical, which is why I fought and secured millions in federal funding for headstart programs in Alaska to help every child reach their full potential. In the state legislature, I secured millions for school infrastructure and programming and continued that fight during my time in Congress. I also cosponsored H.R.4550 to carry out a grant program to support the recruitment and retention of paraprofessionals in public elementary schools, secondary schools, and preschool programs. I believe that culturally relevant curriculum in our rural and public schools is a must and a significant factor in Alaska Native student success. I will continue to fight for our kids in the United States Senate.

What federal actions will you support to improve public safety and health care in rural Alaska Native communities, including Tribal law enforcement and public safety capacity, mental and behavioral health services, addiction treatment, suicide prevention, and victim services? How will you support Tribal jurisdiction under VAWA and address MMIP?

From my time chairing the bipartisan Bush Caucus in the State Legislature to securing public safety resources for Village Public Safety Officers to securing critical investment in local law enforcement during my time in the U.S. House of Representatives, investing in public safety has always been one of my top priorities. One of the things I appreciated about VAWA 2022 was the authority it granted to our Tribes as partners in the provision of justice. That approach ought to be expanded. I will continue to fight for proper implementation of the law so that Native communities can exercise their sovereignty and keep their communities safe. Alaskans have been vocal that more communities, villages, and towns need basic law enforcement. I will continue to advocate for more funding to protect our families, greater authority for our villages and localities in combatting crime when it occurs, and overseeing the provision of public safety across our state.

What federal funding, authorization, or other actions will you pursue to support the Alaska Marine Highway System and other transportation, infrastructure, and broadband needs critical to Southeast and rural Alaska?

Alaska's Marine Highway System is critical for the daily lives of many Alaskans, and for communities and economies across our state. That's why I fought for and secured nearly $200 million in funding to strengthen and improve our ferry system, including to go towards operational costs, bringing Wi-Fi to passengers and replacing the oldest ferry in the fleet. I'll continue to fight for the resources needed to protect our Alaskan way of life and that includes other transportation, infrastructure, and broadband.

What federal actions will you support to address declining salmon populations, bycatch, changing ocean conditions, habitat loss, and other pressures on Alaska fisheries, while strengthening Tribal representation in federal fisheries management?

Native communities must have a seat at the table when these decisions are made. I will bring my experience as the former head of a tribal co-management body to Washington to fight for our communities. I will champion legislation to ensure we have a seat on the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council and that we retain our seats on theFederal Subsistence Board . I will also fight to ensure that the Federal Subsistence Management Program remains strong and intact to protect our state's abundance for generations to come. Out-of-state factory trawlers have exploited Alaska fisheries - creating excessive bycatch, and ravaging the ocean floor while Alaska fishermen and communities suffer the consequences. It's beyond time we ban out-of-state bottom trawlers. I will also continue the fight in the Senate to keep mid-water trawlers off bottom, ensuring that trawlers can't hide behind outdated definitions and harm our fish stocks. I will also demand NOAA crack down on enforcing existing laws protecting a community first approach and limit bycatch. I will keep fighting for a modernized Magnuson-Stevens Act to hold fishery councils accountable for prioritizing sustainable stocks, reducing bycatch, and protecting the communities most impacted by fishery declines.

What policies will you pursue for artificial intelligence in State government and Alaska’s economy, and how will you protect Tribal sovereignty over Tribal data, languages, and cultural knowledge?

I believe the State of Alaska and Congress should work with Tribes to protect Tribes' cultural knowledge, symbols, and art from misuse and appropriation in the era of artificial intelligence. There should be a legal framework for AI that works for all Alaska Natives to protect our traditions and our intellectual property rights.

What legislation, funding, or administrative actions will you support to address the unique land-base and jurisdictional circumstances of Alaska Tribes and provide sustained, direct federal funding for Tribal capacity, including natural-resource monitoring, fisheries science, emergency response, invasive-species detection, and stewardship?

I believe we must protect our seats on the Federal Subsistence Board and secure seats on the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council to protect our subsistence rights. Rural Alaska should have a voice when it comes to protecting our lands and waters. Southeast has been on the forefront of Tribal co-management and I will fight to ensure that that continues and grows. I will continue the fight for landless legislation to deliver the land our communities are rightfully entitled to under ANCSA and correct this unjust error. And I promise to always be an independent voice for Alaska - and stand up to anyone who doesn't understand our way of life.

What federal policies will you support regarding artificial intelligence, including privacy, cybersecurity, workforce impacts, and accountability? What role should Tribal governments have in determining how their data, languages, and cultural knowledge are used, and what specific commitments will you make to Alaska’s federally recognized Tribes?

AI has the potential to have positive impacts - but it must be weighed against potential risks to our communities, economy, and children. I support Congress taking action to provide a legal framework for AI that works for working people. In the Senate, I will take action to ensure our kids are protected, our cultural knowledge and traditions are protected, that Tribal data sovereignty is respected, Alaska workers' jobs are secure, and our communities are in the driver's seat on how AI affects our future.

Tlingit & Haida does not endorse any candidate for public office. Candidate responses are provided for informational purposes only and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Tlingit & Haida.

Bill Hill
Campaign website: www.billhillforalaskans.com

What legislation, funding, or federal actions will you support to expand Tribal co-stewardship and co-management of federal lands, waters, fisheries, forests, and wildlife?

I strongly support building systems of co-stewardship and co-management that give Alaska Native people a seat at the table, especially for resources our people have managed successfully for thousands of years. I want to move past research and pilot projects. Right now co-stewardship too often means a study, a listening session, and then a decision made somewhere else. I would push for a formal process that gives Alaska Native peoples real authority and the compensation that comes with real stewardship, with co-management standards written into statute rather than left to whichever administration is in office, and with funding attached. A co-management agreement with no money behind it is a piece of paper.

What will you do to protect and strengthen the federal subsistence priority under Title VIII of ANILCA and ensure Alaska Native communities can continue their customary and traditional ways of life? What changes are needed to address gaps in the current federal subsistence system?

The rural subsistence priority matters to us and we need to keep it. I will defend the Title VIII priority and oppose any effort to weaken it. Alaska should be able to recognize the unique importance of practices that have existed for thousands of years and prioritize them, but because the Alaska constitution is read to prohibit that preference, support for a rural priority gets pitted against an aversion to federal management. I support bringing Alaska into alignment with Title VIII, and I favor an amendment to the state constitution allowing a rural subsistence priority. I also support strengthening Tribal representation in federal subsistence management. Alaska Native communities should have a greater role in managing the resources they depend on.


What federal actions will you support to improve educational outcomes for Alaskan students and Alaska Native students, particularly in rural and remote communities, and strengthen Tribal involvement in education, language revitalization, culturally relevant education?

As superintendent of the Bristol Bay Borough School District, I worked with four school districts, our regional ANC and the University of Alaska to build an accreditation process that gave incoming teachers credit for participating in community events and learning the culture of the place they served. I am proud of this work. I support lowering the cost of housing, loan repayment and competitive pay to keep teachers in schools. In a lot of villages you cannot hire a teacher because there is nowhere for them to live. Programs that ground young people in language and culture are not just positive, they are life-saving. Suicide, substance misuse and abuse all decline when young people are proud of who their people are and where they come from.

What federal actions will you support to improve public safety and health care in rural Alaska Native communities, including Tribal law enforcement and public safety capacity, mental and behavioral health services, addiction treatment, suicide prevention, and victim services? How will you support Tribal jurisdiction under VAWA and address MMIP?

There are communities in Alaska with no law enforcement presence at all. I would prioritize funding for public safety personnel including VPSOs, but money alone has not fixed this. The program already has funds it cannot spend because communities cannot recruit and keep officers. That takes housing, competitive pay, benefits, training and backup. The Not One More report should be restored, and Justice and Interior should have to say what they have done with its recommendations. I would fund cold case units staffed by Alaska Native investigators with tribal access to case files, and one point of contact so families are not calling four agencies about their daughter. I support expanding and fully funding Tribal jurisdiction under the Violence Against Women Act, including the authority of Alaska Tribes to prosecute covered crimes in their communities. I will also fight for increased funding for Tribal health organizations. Some of the most important functions these organizations serve are behavioral health care, addiction treatment, and suicide prevention. Rural Alaskans should not have to leave their communities to receive basic mental health care. We need to invest in local providers and programs led by Alaska Native communities.


What federal funding, authorization, or other actions will you pursue to support the Alaska Marine Highway System and other transportation, infrastructure, and broadband needs critical to Southeast and rural Alaska?

The Alaska Marine Highway is vital to Southeast and coastal communities. It is a highway, and it should be funded like one. I support expanding and funding the system, and I would fight the service cuts and deferred maintenance that have left communities stranded and businesses unable to plan a season. We also modernize rural airports, which are the lifeline for medevac and freight; improve port facilities in Southeast and the Arctic; and secure funding for village water, sewer and sanitation. In Congress I will prioritize a seat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which covers our roads, ferries, airports and waterways. Growing up in Kokhanok, a village of about 150 people, I know transportation costs shape everything else we pay for. I will also fight to finish connecting rural Alaska to reliable and affordable high-speed internet. Federal broadband programs need to account for the extraordinary costs of construction and maintenance in remote communities.

What federal actions will you support to address declining salmon populations, bycatch, changing ocean conditions, habitat loss, and other pressures on Alaska fisheries, while strengthening Tribal representation in federal fisheries management?

I started commercial fishing at eight and it is still my livelihood. We need lower bycatch limits, stiffer penalties for exceeding them, and an end to the harm done by bottom trawling. My opponent has introduced legislation to do more research. That is not enough. We also need to redefine midwater. If an operation is scraping the bottom up to 80 percent of the time, that is not midwater fishing. In addition, I support a tribal seat on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council. Beyond consultation, Traditional Ecological Knowledge should be part of research, planning and implementation at NOAA. I would work with Southeast tribes and Sealaska to identify specific openings for that. We also need stronger federal investment in salmon habitat restoration, fisheries science, and monitoring the effects of warming oceans. I will fight to protect critical spawning habitat and ensure that federal fisheries management responds to changing environmental conditions before salmon runs reach a crisis point.

What policies will you pursue for artificial intelligence in State government and Alaska’s economy, and how will you protect Tribal sovereignty over Tribal data, languages, and cultural knowledge?

My concern is that AI doesn't come at the cost of good jobs for working people. I would rather see it used to extend what people can do in places where we do not have enough people, like helping a community health aide or a teacher in a one-room school, than used to replace them. Tribal data, such as languages and cultural knowledge, belong to the tribes. The idea that recordings, dictionaries and oral histories built by our own people could now be scraped into a commercial model without permission or payment is not acceptable. Tribes should decide whether their languages and cultural knowledge are used to train any model, and that consent is required rather than assumed. Federal agencies holding tribal data, including the BIA, IHS and the Smithsonian, should not release it to developers without tribal approval. Federally funded language work should carry provisions keeping ownership with the tribe.

What legislation, funding, or administrative actions will you support to address the unique land-base and jurisdictional circumstances of Alaska Tribes and provide sustained, direct federal funding for Tribal capacity, including natural-resource monitoring, fisheries science, emergency response, invasive-species detection, and stewardship?

I support tribal sovereignty and a practical, case-by-case approach to land into trust, and I would protect the Interior regulations that allow Alaska tribes to apply. I have reached out to the Alaska Natives Without Land coalition and will keep working with them. You cannot build a fisheries science program or an emergency response capability on a three-year award you might not win again, which is why so many tribal programs stay in a permanent startup phase. I support sustained, direct, non-competitive base funding for tribal capacity.

What federal policies will you support regarding artificial intelligence, including privacy, cybersecurity, workforce impacts, and accountability? What role should Tribal governments have in determining how their data, languages, and cultural knowledge are used, and what specific commitments will you make to Alaska’s federally recognized Tribes?

I support strong personal protections and I think every system should be opt-in, not opt-out. Alaskans' data should not be bought and sold without our knowledge. I am committed to making sure AI does not come at the cost of working people having good-paying jobs. Where it displaces workers, the companies profiting from it should be helping pay for retraining. On accountability, if a model makes a decision about someone's benefits, their loan or their medical care, a person has to be answerable for it and there has to be a way to appeal. I would also oppose blocking states from enforcing their own AI protections while Congress does nothing. I will not support federal AI legislation that touches tribal data without government-to-government consultation first. I will push for tribal consent as the standard for any use of tribal languages or cultural knowledge in training data. I will work to ensure federally funded language and cultural work keeps ownership with the tribe.

Tlingit & Haida does not endorse any candidate for public office. Candidate responses are provided for informational purposes only and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Tlingit & Haida.