Senator Kelly Merrick (R – Eagle River) is in a tight race against her Republican challenger Jared Goecker. Combined, their campaigns have raised nearly $250,000 this cycle. Merrick has reported raising $130,000.

On her recent campaign financial disclosure, Merrick reported raising more than $58,000 – $10,000 of which came from Anchorage attorney Robin Brena. 

Brena, a wealthy attorney, has made a fortune in Alaska litigating cases against oil companies. He has also been a loud advocate for raising oil taxes through either legislation or ballot initiative. He testified before the Senate Finance Committee in May in favor or Senate Bill 114 – a bill from Senator Bill Wielechowski (D – Alaska) that aimed to raise oil taxes.  

Brena was the architect behind a 2020 ballot initiative, known as Alaska’s Fair Share, that attempted to raise oil taxes by way of voters.

Brena put more than $1 million of his own money into the campaign, which was defeated 58% to 42%. But that was after the following oil companies contributed nearly $20 million to oppose the initiative: ExxonMobil ($5.82 million), Conoco Phillips ($4.84 million), BP Exploration Alaska ($4.54 million), Hilcorp Energy ($2.90 million), and Hilcorp North Slope ($1.54 million).

Brena has made more than $90,000 in campaign contributions this election cycle to eight candidates. Merrick is the only Republican he has donated to. 

Brena did not respond to a request for comment for this story. 

Many resource industry executives and PACs have donated to Merrick this cycle. Merrick has been seen as an oil industry ally, but has not been as vocal as others – especially since she was elected to the Senate in 2022. 

The oil industry specifically and resource industry in general are not fans of Robin Brena. So it should not be a surprise that many of them who had donated to Merrick were concerned when they learned he contributed $10,000 to Merrick.

The following individuals and political action committees have donated $11,000 to Merrick this cycle:

• Alaska State Chamber of Commerce PAC – $500
• Alaska Miners Association PAC – $1,000
• Associated General Contractors $1,000
• Joe Balash, senior vice president of external affairs at Santos – $500
• ConocoPhillips Employee PAC – $1,000
• Dave Cruz, owner of Cruz Construction – $1,000
• Suzanne Cunningham, government relations liaison at Alyeska Pipeline – $250
• John Hendrix, owner of HEX/Furie – $500
• Erec Isaacson, president of ConocoPhillips Alaska – $750
• Jim Jansen, chairman of Lynden – $3,000
• Luke Miller, manager of government and public affairs at Hilcorp – $250
• Jeff Miller, president of Cruz Construction, $500
• Tara Sweeney, vice president of external affairs at ConocoPhillips Alaska – $700 

On Tuesday afternoon, the heads of several industry trade groups – colloquially known as the “resource cabal” – had a meeting via Zoom with Merrick to discuss the donation. Many were concerned about an upcoming fundraiser they have scheduled for Merrick, and how it might look after she took a large donation from Brena. 

Sources who were at the meeting say that had reached out to Merrick’s office to schedule the meeting. But instead of Merrick getting back to them, her husband Joey Merrick, the business manager for the Laborers Local 341, reached out to schedule the meeting. Joey and Kelly appeared at the meeting together.

Candidate Merrick was visibly emotional, so Joey did most of the talking, sources report. Merrick reiterated that she was not going to change her values or her policies on the oil industry. Sources report that labor boss Merrick did not mention his position as a labor boss, but was more there in the role of a supportive husband. 

When asked about his presence at the meeting, Boss Merrick initially told me by phone, “What meeting?” Once I gave him details about the meeting, Boss Merrick told me, “Jeff, I don’t know what the fuck you think you are doing or what your problem is with Kelly…”

After a discussion about the Brena donation, the meeting, and the upcoming fundraiser, Boss Merrick said the fundraiser was not really discussed and that a lot of outside money is pouring into the race.

When asked about the Brena donation in relation to all the resource industry donations, Merrick told the Landmine by text, “Of course I’ve worked alongside Alaska’s resource industry leaders, and appreciate their support in this race. Since I’m being attacked by the radical Washington D.C. group Americans for Prosperity, people from across the political spectrum have contributed because whether you’re a Republican or Democrat, Alaskans hate it when outsiders try to meddle in our elections.”

Things at the meeting must have gone well. Because sources report the resource cabal fundraiser for Merrick next week is still on.