On Tuesday, Republican gubernatorial candidate Bernadette Wilson held an event in Big Lake where she announced Senator Mike Shower (R – Wasilla) as her running mate. This creates a second open Senate seat in the Mat-Su Valley as Shower is up for re-election next year.

The other open seat is currently held by Senator Shelley Hughes (R – Palmer). Hughes, who is also up for re-election next year, announced in July that she is running for governor.

Representative Cathy Tilton (R – Wasilla) told the Landmine that she will run for Hughes’ open Senate seat. Representative DeLena Johnson (R – Palmer) is the other representative in Hughes’ Senate district. It’s not clear if Johnson will seek re-election or run for the open Senate seat.    

Immediately after the Shower announcement, Representative George Rauscher (R – Sutton) filed a letter of intent to run for Shower’s open Senate seat.

Republican Doug Massie, who unsuccessfully challenged Shower in 2022, filed a letter of intent in June but did not indicate whether he was running for the House or Senate. Massie told the Landmine he has not decided which office he will run for. 

Massie lives in Representative Kevin McCabe’s (R – Big Lake) House district. McCabe also filed a letter of intent in June and did not indicate an office. McCabe told the Landmine that he has not decided if he will seek re-election or run for the open Senate seat. If McCabe were to run against Rauscher for the open Senate seat, Massie would likely decide to run for McCabe’s open House seat. 

There has been speculation that Shower may resign before the start of the next legislative session to focus on the gubernational campaign. He did not respond to a call and text from the Landmine asking if he intends to resign.

If Shower resigns, Governor Mike Dunleavy (R – Alaska) would appoint his replacement. If he appointed Rauscher or McCabe, he would then get to appoint a replacement to the vacant House seat.

Now that Rauscher is running for the Senate, his House seat is also open. Republican Forrest Wolfe is rumored to be considering running for the seat. He recently moved into the district. In 2022, Wolfe narrowly lost to now-Representative Donna Mears (D – Anchorage) for an East Anchorage House seat. Wolfe is a former legislative staffer who has been working as the legislative liaison for the Department of Administration since December. He would have to quit his job if he decided to run. 

Former Representative Jesse Sumner moved into Rauscher’s House district last year, but it’s unlikely he would run as he didn’t seek re-election last year to focus on his family and business. 

The filing deadline to run for the Legislature or governor is June 1, 2026.