Alaska’s Legislature doesn’t run like the Lower 48, or even congress, where at the time a party gains the majority by even one vote, they take over the chamber as leaders. In Alaska we have a small population, a massive land base, and a uniquely independent electorate. But one thing is sure: the way we form caucuses, the groups of lawmakers that set the agenda and control the committee structure, has consequences including who holds the gavel and who holds the line on policy. It’s a confusing process entrenched in rules and law but often co-opted by sneaky backroom (or even election night) deals that sideline the will of the people.

When a new Legislature convenes, the goal is to organize both chambers with a majority. That means 21 in the House and 11 in the Senate. This majority caucus elects the Speaker or Senate President, appoints committee chairs, and essentially controls the flow or demise of every bill. The rules are clear: the Alaska Constitution and our Uniform Rules lay out a formal process. Organizational meetings are held by members loosely aligned by location or party, and votes are supposed to be cast in the open to solidify their power.

But what is less clear, and more troubling, is how often this process is sidestepped in practice by politically motivated coalitions. We have seen Republicans team up with Democrats and Independents, forming “bipartisan” majorities that look nothing like the team Alaskans sent to Juneau. Sometimes these discussions and alliances happen within hours of the election. And they are not always alliances built on principle; too often they are issue based or about political convenience and power-sharing. And too frequently they are about making sure a particular district or region is represented on often powerful committees without regard to party or values.

Let’s not sugarcoat it; coalition-building in Alaska has become a tool for moderates and left-leaning legislators to pull control away from conservative majorities. After every election, the deal-making begins, mostly behind closed doors, with promises of committee chairs or leadership titles handed out like trading cards. This is often done to entice conservatives to trade their values or their party platform for pure power.

In the 2025 House, we ended up with a 21-member coalition: 14 Democrats, 5 Independents, and 2 Republicans. Only 2 Republicans crossed over. Meanwhile, the rest of the 19 Republicans, and their districts and Republican values, were left out in the cold, despite earning the trust of conservative Alaskans.

The same story unfolded in the Senate where an election of 11 Republicans and 9 Democrats turned into a minority of 6 republicans and a majority coalition of 9 democrats and 5 republicans. This kind of coalition-building might be legal, but it undermines the Republican platform and confuses voters who thought they were electing a Legislature that would reflect their values.

Committee control is where the real power lies. Whoever controls the majority caucus controls the committees and the control over which bills even get heard. In 2025, the House coalition packed the key committees with their own members and advanced bills like HB 57, which increased education funding, and HB 16, which tightened campaign finance rules. Conservative bills, budget restraint, election security and germane conservative amendments to those ideas did not even get a fair hearing.

Republicans who join Democrat-led coalitions get rewarded. Committee chairs, floor leadership, influence over scheduling, amendments and bills that get passed; but it comes at a price. They end up compromising on conservative values and principles to keep their seat at the table. It is power for power’s sake, not service to the statewide conservative constituency.

And this style of caucus-building raises serious concerns. Alaskans vote for lawmakers expecting them to uphold the platforms they ran on. When Republicans cross over and caucus with Democrats, it feels like a bait and switch. In fact, the Alaska Republican Party has called this out for years, and rightfully so. In 2016 and again in 2025, the party criticized these “coalition Republicans” for abandoning the values they were elected to represent.

Even worse, the murky nature of these coalitions such as how they are negotiated and who promises what to whom creates a huge trust gap between the people and their government. Caucuses are supposed to reflect the makeup of the elected body, not twist it. While the Alaska Constitution and legislative rules give us a framework for forming majorities, the real story lies in how those rules are used or abused. Coalitions made behind closed doors may secure power for a few, but they often come at the cost of transparency, accountability, and trust.

Alaskans deserve a government that respects their vote and governs with integrity. Alaskans deserve an honest legislature with Representatives and Senators who do what they said they would do. Legislators owe it to Alaskans to ensure that caucuses are built on principle, not politics, and that every legislator, no matter their district, has a voice at the table.

For Alaskans vetting their candidates, the number one question should be not “will you join a caucus,” but “who will you caucus with?”

Originally published on Substack: https://kevinjmccabe.substack.com/p/binding-caucus-or-no-caucus-at-all