“Recognize that win or lose, the campaign is an opportunity to speak an important message.” - Matt Schultz, a lapsed Democratic candidate for Alaska’s sole U.S. House seat, on what advice he would have for someone who might run for office.
Campaign signs for Democrats Matt Schultz and Tom Begich are seen in a Midtown Anchorage yard on July 17, 2026. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
By James Brooks
On July 17, the leading Democratic candidate in Alaska’s U.S. House race suspended his campaign and announced his support for independent House candidate Bill Hill.
In an interview last week, Democrat Matt Schultz said his decision didn’t come from a lack of desire or a lack of support — it was simply a matter of money.
(Illustration by Kalyn Fay Barnoski/High Country News)
By Meghan Sullivan, High Country News
In Interior Alaska, near the Canadian border, a small Alaska Native community called Dot Lake Village sits just off the Alaska Highway. Cradled between the Alaska Range and the Tanana River, it is a tight-knit community whose roughly 180 tribal members live a traditional subsistence life every summer — fishing nearby rivers and lakes and harvesting food for the coming months. Elders who grew up speaking Athabascan and enjoying potlatches overflowing with salmon, berries and moose run culture camps to empower future generations.
This year, however, the community is preparing for the worst — the potentially harmful consequences of a nearby man camp.
Democratic U.S. House candidate Matt Schultz is seen in an undated photo published on his campaign website. (Screenshot)
By James Brooks
Alaska Beacon government and politics reporter James Brooks spoke with candidate Matt Schultz for 15 minutes about the end of his campaign for Alaska’s sole U.S. House seat.
The Hurff A. Saunders Federal Building is seen on Nov. 13, 2025 (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)
COMMENTARY
By Ross Johnson
Half of Alaska’s economic growth from 2015 to 2023 came from one source.
Not oil, which added perhaps $4.5 billion over that stretch.
Not mining or fishing, which together added less than a quarter of that.
Federal spending grew by nearly $9 billion over those years, against roughly $16.5 billion in total state GDP growth.
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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Flood of poll watchers, observers, monitors to descend on midterm voters | States Newsroom
Alaska removes thousands from state’s active voter list, erroneously flagging some citizens | James Brooks and Corinne Smith
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