Hypocrisy: Alaska RCV Backers Use Dark Money They Condemn

Here in the Great Land, we have been fighting to repeal the election travesty that is ranked choice voting, or RCV. It’s a terrible system, pushed through by leftists to benefit leftists. The initial campaign to put this on the ballot and pass it in 2020 was heavily funded by monied interests from Outside. In 2024 we tried for a repeal, and missed by about 700 votes despite being outspent by those same Outside dark money interests. Now, in this midterm election of 2026, we’re trying again.

And again, we’re facing those same dark money interests. This time it’s a little different; the repeal initiative got tangled up with another item that undoes some campaign finance disclosure items in what is now Ballot Measure 2, and the same people who want to keep RCV in place are blasting that addition as being in favor of dark money in politics — but the anti-repeal side is taking plenty of donations from the very kind of interests they deride.

A newly released campaign finance report shows that the “No on 2” campaign has received millions of out-of-state funds from left-wing dark-money organizations to help defeat the Last Frontier State’s Measure 2 ballot initiative in the 2026 midterm elections. The initiative seeks to repeal the state’s ranked-choice voting system and eliminate “campaign finance provisions that require persons and entities that contribute more than $2,000 that were themselves derived from donations, contributions, dues, or gifts to disclose the true sources (as defined in law) of the political contributions,” states Ballotpedia.

So who’s kicking in that dark cash for the pro-RCV side? Donors include:

• The National Education Association — two donations, totaling $700,500.
• The Unite America PAC, a group pushing “moderate to left” candidates, over $1 million donated.
• The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), one $250,000 donation.
• The Service Employees International Union (SEIU), donated a total of $250,000.
• Wyoming’s Way Back PAC, an organization pushing Democrat candidates in the Midwest and West, donated $275,000.
• Hudson River Trading co-founder Jason Carroll, donated $500,000.
• Venture capitalist Scott Sandell, donated $100,000.

Hypocrisy, thy name is ranked choice voting advocates.

Here’s the thing: There has been zero polling on this issue, but my gut tells me that we may be able to repeal RCV this time. Why? Three reasons.

First, I spend a fair amount of time driving around and talking to folks. My yard-sign instincts are all shouting “repeal.” I’m seeing 10 pro-repeal signs for every anti-repeal one for Measure 2. I’m seeing 10 pro-repeal bumper stickers for every anti-repeal one. The tide would seem to have turned.

Second, in 2024, more than half of Alaska voters “bullet voted,” that meaning they didn’t rank any selections; they picked their top choice and that was all. Now, if that happens in these numbers this time, we’re hosed, especially in our governor’s and Senate races. But it also, to my thinking, is indicative of people being fatigued with this idiotic system.

Third and finally,  the pro-repeal all focus on RCV, while the anti-repeal signs don’t even mention it, shouting instead about the very kind of donations that are funding their campaign. But I think people are getting hip to the scam put out by the anti-repeal side. In yard signs and in television/radio/internet ads, these people who want to keep RCV don’t seem to want to mention RCV at all — perhaps realizing that it’s poison.

I base these on nothing but my instincts. Granted I’ve been watching politics since the Carter administration, but still, this is a guess. But I think it’s a reasonable, rational, and dare I say, educated guess. The tide seems to have turned against ranked-choice voting. The talk I’m hearing is in favor of going back to our original system: Closed partisan primaries, with each party selecting their own candidate to square off in the general election. That’s how this should work: One voter, one vote.

To my fellow Alaskans, I say only this: Yes on 2! Let’s have done with this, once and for all.

Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.

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