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.
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)
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.
