Alaska Lt. Gov. Dahlstrom reverses herself, puts Treg Taylor back in governor’s race

Late Friday night, Alaska Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom said she will reverse a decision she made Monday and will certify former attorney general Treg Taylor as a final-four candidate in Alaska’s race for governor.

Taylor’s reinstatement means he replaces his lieutenant governor, Candi English, who had taken Taylor’s spot as the fourth candidate in the race. Taylor’s wife, Jodi, had taken English’s spot as the lieutenant governor candidate.

Democratic candidate Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins finished first in the August primary, followed by Republican candidates Bernadette Wilson, Dave Bronson and Taylor.

In Alaska, the top four candidates from the primary, regardless of political party, advance to the November general election.

Dahlstrom’s decision came five days after she disqualified Taylor and a state House candidate, Jose Tagle, for failing to provide personal financial information on time, as required by state law. 

Dahlstrom also restored Tagle, the sole opponent against Rep. Ted Eischeid, D-Anchorage, to the ballot.

The Alaska Public Offices Commission, which regulates political candidates and campaigns, had recommended that the two be disqualified.

That recommendation was still in place on Friday night, but Dahlstrom said the Department of Law — which Taylor led until last year — had conducted an independent review of candidates’ financial disclosure statements.

That review, which Dahlstrom did not release Friday night, showed ”numerous potential discrepancies between filed statements and public records,” Dahlstrom said in a written statement.

“On the basis of that additional information, the Lieutenant Governor will certify the two candidates,” Dahlstrom’s statement said.

Starting last year, the Alaska Public Offices Commission had raised concerns about Taylor’s financial disclosure form, which did not list hundreds of tenants who rent from Taylor. Taylor and his wife bought Anchorage’s Inlet View Tower in 2023. 

Taylor registered as a candidate for office on June 1, submitting a new public officer financial disclosure form. State law allows 30 days for amendments, but Taylor’s form wasn’t amended with the partial names of renters until late July.

Because of that missed deadline, the Public Offices Commission voted 4-1 in late August to recommend that Taylor be disqualified. The commission also recommended that Tagle, who had filed a blank disclosure form, be disqualified. Dahlstrom adopted both recommendations on Aug. 31. 

Since then, concerns had been raised about possible omissions by other candidates, including Wilson, whose personal financial disclosure form did not disclose her ownership of Denali Disposal, a garbage company. 

Unlike Taylor’s case, no formal complaint had been filed before the primary.

“The Department of Law’s informal review has raised questions about the recommendations made on August 31,” said Dahlstrom in her statement. “I will not withhold certification from two candidates on recommendations that, in light of this additional information, I cannot apply with confidence across the field of candidates. Certification decisions have to rest on a process that can be defended as to every candidate.”

Taylor, who previously called on Republican candidates to consolidate their campaigns, issued a statement celebrating the decision.

The former attorney general said his campaign has “been about standing up to political insiders and special interests.”

“Candi and I are running to end these types of political games and put power back where it belongs: with Alaskans. Alaskans should decide our elections. Not political insiders. Not special interests. Not the establishment,” Taylor said.

The first ballots for Alaska’s November general election are scheduled to be mailed to voters starting Sept. 18.