The race for Alaska governor got a shakeup on Monday as Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom announced that former state Attorney General Treg Taylor will not be certified as a candidate.

Taylor, a Republican, placed fifth in the Aug. 18 primary election to determine the top four vote-getters who would advance to the Nov. 3 general election. But the decision last week by the No. 2 finisher, former Anchorage State Sen. Tom Begich, to withdraw his candidacy and endorse the top finisher, fellow Democrat Jonathon Kreiss-Tomkins, created an opening for Taylor to move into the top four.

There were 17 candidates for governor in the primary, competing for a spot in the general election.

Taylor, however, was not certified for the ballot because of last week’s Alaska Public Offices Commission determination that he had failed to comply with financial disclosure requirements, Dahlstrom announced in a press release Monday morning.

“This is a difficult decision made under an extraordinarily tight timeline and in circumstances we have not faced before,” Dahlstrom said in a statement. “The law, however, is not unclear. When a candidate has not complied with Alaska’s financial disclosure requirements within the time required, the lieutenant governor may not certify that person’s nomination. My responsibility is to follow that law and apply it consistently.”

APOC said Taylor had reported more than $1 million in rental income but did not disclose the full names of his tenants as required by Alaska’s campaign laws.

But there will still be a Taylor on the Nov. 3 ballot. Treg Taylor’s running mate, Candice English, filed on Monday to take his place on the ballot for governor, selecting Taylor’s wife, Jodi, as her running mate for lieutenant governor, the Anchorage Press reported.

If English had not stepped in, the next primary candidate in line was former Fairbanks State Sen. Click Bishop, who is widely considered more moderate than most of the Republican field.

Kreiss-Tomkins got 22.5% of the Aug. 18 vote, followed by Begich at 20.8%. 

The No. 3 and 4 finishers were Republicans: Businesswoman Bernadette Wilson with 10% of the vote and former Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson with 8.1%.

Taylor finished with 7.3%.

The two Democratic candidates said during the days leading up to the vote count that there were discussions of an agreement for one to drop out and support the other in order to show unity to succeed Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy, who cannot run for a third term.

“What matters most is making sure Alaska gets a governor who will move us forward,” Begich said in a prepared statement announcing his decision to withdraw and support Kreiss-Tomkins.

The Anchorage Press contributed reporting for this story.