Anchorage State Sen. Elvi Gray-Jackson filed her paperwork on Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022 at the Division of Elections offices in Juneau, to run for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Republican Lisa Murkowski. Gray-Jackson, a Democrat, is the first from her party to enter the race and the first Black woman to run for a U.S. Senate seat from Alaska. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

Anchorage State Sen. Elvi Gray-Jackson filed her paperwork on Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022 at the Division of Elections offices in Juneau, to run for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Republican Lisa Murkowski. Gray-Jackson, a Democrat, is the first from her party to enter the race and the first Black woman to run for a U.S. Senate seat from Alaska. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

Democratic state senator files to unseat Murkowski

Anchorage Sen. Elvi Gray-Jackson is first Black woman to seek seat

State Sen. Elvi Gray-Jackson, D-Anchorage, filed Thursday to run for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska.

“Alaskans have a choice now,” Gray-Jackson said as she finished her paperwork which she filed at the Divison of Elections offices in Juneau. Holding back tears as she spoke to reporters following her filing, Gray-Jackson said public service was her passion and she looked forward to reaching out to Alaskans.

“Alaskans deserve better now they have a choice, they have a choice to vote for me, someone who understands, truly understands what Alaskans need,” Gray-Jackson said.

The first-term state senator joins an already crowded field for the U.S. Senate seat but is the first Democrat to file for the office. In addition to incumbent Murkowski, Gray-Jackson heads into a race against former Administration Commissioner Kelley Tshibaka, a Republican; Dave Darden, undeclared; Dustin Darden, Alaska Independence Party; Sidney Hill, nonpartisan; Jeremy Keller, nonpartisan; Huhnkie Lee, undeclared; Samuel Little, Republican; John Schiess, Republican; Karl Speights, Republican; Joe Stephens, Alaska Independence Party, and Sean Thorne, Libertarian.

State Sen. Elvi Gray-Jackson filed Thursday paperwork to run for U.S. Senate. Gray-Jackson enters a field that includes incumbent Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a Republican; and former Department of Administration Commissioner Kelly Tshibaka, a Republican; among others. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

State Sen. Elvi Gray-Jackson filed Thursday paperwork to run for U.S. Senate. Gray-Jackson enters a field that includes incumbent Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a Republican; and former Department of Administration Commissioner Kelly Tshibaka, a Republican; among others. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

If elected, Gray-Jackson would be the first Black woman to hold a U.S. Senate seat from Alaska.

[Chief Justice stresses judicial impartiality in address to lawmakers]

Murkowski already has a healthy lead in fundraising, with more than $4.2 million in cash on hand as of Dec. 31, 2021, according to the Federal Election Commission. Tshibaka too, has a significant war chest with more than $600,000 and an endorsement from former President Donald Trump.

But this will be the first election under Alaska’s new ranked-choice voting system, which Gray-Jackson said will give voters the opportunity to vote their conscience.

The state senator criticized Murkowski for not voting for the recent voting rights legislation that came before Congress and for approving non-pro choice Justices to the U.S. Supreme Court.

“I’m 100% pro-choice,” Gray-Jackson said.

Health care was another area Gray-Jackson said was important to her, noting that her son and many other Alaskans are unable to afford coverage. Public safety and raising wages for workers were other areas the state senator said were important to her.

Elected to the Alaska State Senate in 2018, Gray-Jackson previous served on the Anchorage Assembly, a body she worked for in several roles since 1988, according to her legislative biography, eventually becoming director of the Budget and Legislative Services Office.

Gray-Jackson is the first Black woman to run for a U.S. Senate seat from Alaska, and noted to reporters she was the first minority to serve as chairperson of the Anchorage Assembly.

“I was the first minority to be before the chair when I served on the Anchorage Assembly,” Gray-Jackson said. “I’m looking forward to working hard and reaching out to Alaskans so that I can get elected to the U.S. Senate and when I’m elected to the US Senate I’ll make history once again.”

• Contact reporter Peter Segall at psegall@juneauempire.com. Follow him on Twitter at @SegallJnuEmpire.

More in News

(Juneau Empire File)
Aurora forecast for the week of Nov. 27

These forecasts are courtesy of the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ Geophysical Institute… Continue reading

Girls teams face off on the twin courts of the main gym at Juneau-Douglas Yadaa.at Kalé High School during the Juneau Invitational Volleyball Extravaganza on Oct. 15, 2022. The Juneau Board of Education on Friday unanimously voted to seek advice from outside council on a new state policy banning transgender girls from high school sports teams. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
School board unanimously votes to seek outside legal advice on new statewide transgender sports ban

Juneau reportedly first district to take step that may lead to lawsuit challenging policy.

A Capital City Fire/Rescue truck parks outside the main entrance of the Riverview Senior Living complex Monday after Nathan Bishop, 58, is found alive in the attic 40 hours after being reported missing from the facility where he is a resident. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
State reviewing Riverview Senior Living after missing resident found in attic 40 hours later

Officials unaware of similar cases in Alaska; facility says steps to prevent such incidents underway

Search and rescue officials examine the area about 11 miles south of the center of Wrangell where a landslide occurred on Nov. 20. Five people are confirmed dead from the landslide and one still missing. (Photo courtesy of Alaska Department of Public Safety)
Body of fifth Wrangell landslide victim found; one person still missing

Otto Florschutz, 65, found Thursday evening; Derek Heller, 12, still missing among family of five.

Varieties of kelp are seen underwater. A U.S. Department of Energy-funded project will investigate whether kelp and other seaweed in the waters off Alaska’s Prince of Wales Island can absorb significant amounts of rare earth elements that leach out from the Bokan Mountain site. (National Marine Sanctuary photo provided by NOAA)
Federally funded project will search for rare earth elements in Southeast Alaska seaweed

What if prized rare earth elements could be extracted from seaweed, avoiding… Continue reading

Angie Flick (center), finance director for the City and Borough of Juneau, provides details of an early draft of next year’s municipal budget to Assembly members as City Manager Katie Koester (left) and Budget Manager Adrien Wendel listen during a Finance Committee meeting Wednesday night in the Assembly Chambers. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Assembly members prepare to retreat so they can move ahead on next year’s budget

“Very draft” $190 million spending plan for FY25 based on status quo has $1 million deficit.

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Police calls for Monday, Nov. 27, 2023

This report contains public information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

The front page of the Juneau Empire on Nov. 30, 2005. (Photo by Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Empire Archives: Juneau’s history for the week of Dec. 3

Three decades of capital city coverage.

Cheyenne Latu (left), a pharmacy technician at Ron’s Apothecary Shoppe, and business co-owner Gretchen Watts hang a poster at the front counter Thursday announcing the store’s closure after Dec. 6 as Jessica Kirtley, another pharmacy technician, works at the front register. The nearby Safeway supermarket has agreed to take the prescriptions of all customers as well as hire all of the independent pharmacy’s employees, according to the co-owners who are retiring. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Ron’s Apothecary Shoppe closing after nearly 50 years as co-owners retire; last day is Dec. 6

Safeway taking over all prescriptions and offering jobs to all employees, according to owners.

Most Read