Interview with Tom Begich: Candidate for Governor

Tom Begich, one of the 18 candidates running for Governor this Fall, was in Seward this past weekend. The former state senator and minority leader (2016 – 2023) sat down with the Folly staff for an interview on a busy day, bouncing between other venues. Born and raised in Anchorage, Begich has spent decades working across Alaska in juvenile justice, substance abuse prevention, and education. 

The Begich family has a strong name in the state. Tom is the son of U.S. House Representative Nick Begich Sr., who died in a small plane crash in 1972; his brother Mark was the state’s U.S. Senator, and his nephew Nick is Alaska’s sitting House Representative in D.C. 

Tom currently runs CW Communications, a strategic planning firm that has contributed to major school construction lawsuits and policy efforts statewide.

Begich is best known for his advocacy of bipartisanship in the Alaska Senate. Early in his legislative career, he was elected minority leader as a freshman — an unusual distinction.

“My job was really to figure out how six members of a 20-member body could actually have influence and impact,” he recalls.

Facing a numerical disadvantage, Begich led efforts to build relationships with colleagues across the aisle, which resulted in a lasting coalition.

“We literally built relationships as a minority with every member of the majority, even those we didn’t fully agree with,” Begich explains.

Under his leadership, Democrats and moderate Republicans formed a coalition that prioritized cooperation over party loyalty. He describes it as a coalition “based on philosophy, not expediency or anger,” and says the approach was a direct precursor to the bipartisan leadership that now characterizes both chambers of Alaska’s legislature. This coalition of Republicans, Democrats, and Independents has attracted nationwide attention during a period of hyperpartisan politics. 

Begich’s campaign focuses on education, affordable energy, and fiscal reform.

“The first thing is, I’m going to fully and forward, fund education,” he says, critiquing the current administration’s approach to school funding. He supports a constitutional amendment for two-year forward funding of public education and separating education funding from the general operating budget.

On energy, Begich argues Alaska has untapped potential: “We already have a green bank. We already have the opportunity to retrofit homes… We should be on the forefront of that.”

He supports collecting internet taxes from multinationals and closing loopholes that allow companies like Hilcorp to avoid corporate income tax, which he says costs the state upwards of $100 million a year.

Begich also advocates for shifting the management of Alaska’s Marine Highway System to an independent authority, giving local communities a direct role in governance.

A central pillar of Begich’s campaign is the need to move Alaska beyond its traditional extractive economy. He is blunt about the risks of over-reliance on outside corporations: “Most Alaskans don’t really want to live in an extractive economy. They want a state with beautiful mountains, access to fish and game, roads that work, and people who actually care about the place they live.”

Begich points to the fact that nearly a quarter of Alaska’s workforce comes from out of state as evidence that current economic structures benefit outsiders more than local residents.

“That’s why I’ve always championed local hire,” he said. “We could lose all that if we don’t focus on bringing those resources back to Alaska, instead of always shipping them out.”

He draws parallels between oil, fisheries, and tourism, arguing that Alaska must do more to ensure communities benefit from their own resources — and prepare for emergencies, whether it’s an oil spill or a cruise ship disaster.

“We should be charging $50 a head to cruise passengers and distributing it to communities along the tourism belt, just like revenue sharing. That way, when disaster strikes, we’re ready,” Begich said.

Throughout the interview, Begich emphasized bipartisanship and the importance of relationships. He cites his work with Republican Senator Cathy Giessel: “We disagreed on some fundamental issues, but we never let that be an obstacle to working together.”

Begich also had a close working relationship with Borough Mayor Peter Micciche during their shared time in the legislature. 

Asked why he’s running, Begich is direct: “I really have been all over Alaska for the last 35 years… I think those relationships have helped. There’s a residual name ID, but there’s also differentiation. People see the difference between myself and my nephew who I don’t support for public office.”

On the state’s future, Begich is pragmatic.

“These are not difficult solutions,” he said, referring to multiple statewide problems that the new governor would face. “They require law. They do require setup time. But you could do it.” 

His pitch is clear: experience, compromise, and a plan for education and fiscal stability.