Anchorage Republican Cathy Giessel will be the next Senate President for the upcoming 35th Alaska State Legislature, according to an announcement from a bipartisan coalition of senators on Nov. 4.
Giessel showed a comfortable lead with 61% of the vote in her bid for reelection. She has served in the Senate since 2011. She previously served as Senate President from 2019 to 2022, and as Senate Majority Leader and chair of the Senate Resources Committee from 2023 to 2026.
The bipartisan Senate coalition, first formed in 2022 under Kodiak Republican Gary Stevens, is forming the Senate Majority coalition in the next Legislature. But its membership and numbers are not confirmed as thousands of votes are still being counted by the Alaska Division of Elections, and as winners are choosing which caucus to join.
The majority coalition must have at least 11 members to be a majority in the 20-member chamber. Final election results are scheduled to be announced on Nov. 18.
In an interview, Giessel said the top priorities for the next Senate will include public education funding, reviving a pension system for public employees, election reform measures and energy.
While Alaska state revenues have seen a surge with the high price of oil, Giessel said the bipartisan Senate leadership will take a “balanced” approach to state spending.
“We are aware that there is going to be excess funding or excess revenue, but we are not going to go on a spending spree. This is something that we all agree on. This is going to be constrained. We’re going to be focusing on the priority budget items first,” she said.
The coalition named Sen.-elect Louise Stutes, a Kodiak Republican, as Majority Leader.
Juneau Democrat Jesse Kiehl, who was not up for reelection this year, will be co-chair of the Senate Finance Committee, of which he has been a member since 2023. He was first elected to the Senate in 2018.
The Alaska Beacon is an independent, donor-funded news organization, online at Alaskabeacon.com.
