Polling Average
30%25%20%15%10%5%0%
23.6%
21.0%
14.6%
13%
11.9%
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NOV 7, 2026
General Election
Voters choose the office holder.
Current roleGovernor
PartyDemocratic
Political ideologyModerate Democrat
Age65 years old (Oct 31, 1960)
GenderMale
LocationAlaska
BackgroundPolitician
EducationBard College (BA, History, 1982)
Notable personal detailsThomas Scott Begich is an American politician, musician, and consultant from Anchorage, Alaska. A Democrat, he served in the Alaska Senate representing District J from 2017 to 2023 and was Senate Minority Leader from 2019 to 2023. He has operated CW Communications and has worked on juvenile justice, education, and community development issues. In 2025, he entered the 2026 Alaska gubernatorial race.
Supports using Permanent Fund earnings with a long-term draw (around 4%) and allocating a portion of those earnings to both dividends and public education; emphasizes common-sense fiscal planning and protecting education funding rather than large one-time payouts that could deplete the fund. Opposed ad-hoc energy relief payments when they would reduce funds for forward-funding education.
Tom Begich says Alaska cannot absorb major federal Medicaid funding losses and emphasizes making health care more affordable through measures such as negotiating with insurers and exploring self‑insurance rather than expanding state coverage. His public materials highlight pragmatic, state-level cost-containment and access measures rather than support for large federal expansions or single‑payer reforms.
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Tom Begich answered the 2020 Political Courage Test identifying as "pro-choice" while also indicating he would not legalize abortion when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape, showing a qualified or internally inconsistent stance. Legislative hearing record excerpts show Begich engaging on limits and medical duties in abortion-related legislation. Available public records show no single unambiguous position on unrestricted abortion access or on codifying Roe-era protections.
Supports expanding renewable and alternative energy, investments in community-scale and cold-climate technologies, and adaptation measures for Alaska’s warming Arctic while also endorsing continued use of Alaska’s oil and gas resources as part of a reliable, affordable energy mix.
Tom Begich has sponsored and cosponsored legislation to create or expand gun-violence protective orders (extreme-risk/red-flag style measures) in the Alaska Legislature, indicating support for targeted firearm restrictions to improve public safety while serving as a state senator.
Tom Begich is in the mix in Alaska’s 2026 governor’s race, where candidates are putting significant personal money into their campaigns amid a surge in fundraising. Reports say the field is large and overall fundraising is being boosted by the removal of campaign contribution limits, enabling bigger donations. He is also being mentioned in broader coverage of major 2026 election contests, including Alaska’s high-profile races.
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