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Wilson leaves Alaska House Majority

Published 12:15 pm Thursday, July 11, 2019

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Wilson leaves Alaska House Majority
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Wilson leaves Alaska House Majority
Rep. Tammie Wilson, R-North Pole, sits in the House chambers during a break in the Joint Session of Alaska Legislature on Wednesday, July 10, 2019, at the Capitol to debate and vote on an override of Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s budget vetoes. The vote failed without enough legislators attending. Twenty-two legislators met in Wasilla in support of Dunleavy’s cuts. Wilson voted against the override. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Rep. Tammie Wilson, R-North Pole, speaks during a Joint Session of Alaska Legislature on Wednesday, July 10, 2019, at the Capitol to debate and vote on an override of Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s budget vetoes. The vote failed without enough legislators attending. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

The majority coalition that controls the Alaska House of Representatives has lost a member.

Rep. Tammie Wilson, R-North Pole, on Thursday departed the majority that organized under Speaker Bryce Edgmon, an independent from Dillingham, which contains both Democrats and Republicans.

She was one of 16 state representatives who on Monday met in Wasilla, where Gov. Mike Dunleavy ordered the special session to be held.

Most lawmakers gathered in Juneau. On Wednesday, Wilson joined colleagues in Juneau and was the only vote in favor of sustaining Dunleavy’s line item budget cuts, which include a 41% reduction of state funding to the University of Alaska.

House Majority spokesman Austin Baird said Wilson left voluntarily and remaining majority members look forward to continuing work with Wilson and all other legislators.

Wilson’s office told the Empire she was not immediately available to comment.

This is an Associated Press report.

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