A slightly more packed than usual Haines Brewing Co. was one stop on Oct. 29 on gubernatorial candidate Tom Begich’s statewide tour.
Begich, a former state senator and senate minority leader who represented his Anchorage district from 2016-2022, is currently the only Democrat in the race to succeed current Gov. Mike Dunleavy in 2026. Overall, he’s one of 10 candidates who have entered the race. Dunleavy himself is term-limited, having already been elected to the maximum two terms in office.
Begich’s tour around the state is an effort to hear voter concerns. A fair number in the brewery last Wednesday, however, were already strong Begich supporters. That included resident Kathleen Menke, who said she “didn’t know anyone that (she would) trust more to be governor.”
For others, Begich was an unknown quantity, including to some brewery customers who initially had him confused with his nephew, current Alaska congressman Nick Begich III.
Among those voters not already supporting Begich, the top topic was his position on the state ferry system.
Begich came prepared, taking strong stands to voters on topics like a planned road down the Chilkat Peninsula (“it makes no sense”) and ways to fund the ferry system, including issuing a general obligation bond.
Even more than the specifics of the plans, it was Begich’s statements of principle about the ferry system that seemed to resonate with potential voters.
Paul Kerber, a former Alaska Marine Highway employee, said he was “impressed” with Begich’s ferry plans.
“He’s born and raised in Alaska, he actually had to rely on it to get around in his life.”
Kerber said he had not yet been following the gubernatorial race and was undecided, but was glad he had made the connection with Begich. It is those kinds of conversations where Begich said he hopes to make his bones in the race: being “peppered with questions,” as he put it, and face to face interactions with voters is where he said he is most comfortable.
In addition to questions about the ferry system, Begich said other topics of concern, like state parks funding and habitat protection, had been consistent among residents across the state. The concern he said he had not expected to hear about but did, was a need for more housing.
“I didn’t fully understand how big of a deal that was with young people,” Begich said. “I’ve been hearing about it mostly from young people, but also from people trying to manage businesses who can’t retain employees.”
Begich’s route through Southeast concluded this week with stops in Kake, Sitka and Juneau.