Alaska’s Attorney General Treg Taylor announced his resignation effective August 29, notifying Department of Law employees in an all-staff email. The resignation positions Taylor to enter Alaska’s increasingly competitive 2026 gubernatorial race, where Governor Mike Dunleavy cannot seek reelection.
Taylor, appointed in 2021 after his two predecessors resigned in scandal, quickly became known for aligning with Republican and Christian conservative causes. His potential candidacy would join a crowded Republican field that already includes former Revenue Commissioner Adam Crum and Lieutenant Governor Nancy Dahlstrom.
Also filing are former Sen Click Bishop, state Sen Shelley Hughes, Mayor Edna DeVries, podiatrist Matt Heilala, teacher James Parkin IV, and entrepreneur Benadette Wilson. On the Democratic side, former state Sen Tom Begich remains the sole declared candidate, while Bruce Walden filed again as a Republican.
Observers noted Taylor’s participation in numerous non-state events, suggesting political ambitions despite his silence on officially entering the gubernatorial campaign. Taylor had been scheduled to appear alongside the Republican attorney general at an Anchorage event hosted by the Anchorage Republican Women’s Club.
Gov Mike Dunleavy praised Taylor’s service, noting he would retire as the third-longest serving attorney general in Alaska’s history. Taylor in turn thanked Department of Law employees for their work during his four and a half year tenure as Alaska’s chief legal officer.
During his term, he pursued partisan legal strategies, raised money for Republican groups, and supported the expansion of homeschool tuition into private and religious schools. Critics questioned his corporate-funded international travel, including a $20,000 trip to France, though his tenure coincided with declining violent crime rates.
Alaska remains among the nation’s most troubled states for violent and sexual crime, though recent statistics show modest statewide reductions. Dunleavy confirmed he will appoint an acting attorney general before Taylor’s departure, ensuring continuity at Alaska’s Department of Law.
