Matt Claman withdraws from Alaska governor’s race

Alaska Democratic senator Matt Claman announced his withdrawal from the race for Alaska governor on June 27. Claman spoke with The Northern Light about the aftermath of ending his campaign.

“My sister asked me if I was sad or relieved after I withdrew. I said yes,” said Claman. 

Claman said he is still waiting for the dust to settle before endorsing a candidate and acknowledged the importance of campaign funding. 

“I have seen campaigns with less money win, but money does a lot for campaigns,” said Claman. 

Claman said he also struggled financially during his own campaign, but had immense support from residents. He added that he believes his platform connects with the other candidates, and he is confident that they will address his concerns. 

“I want to thank my running partner, Sarah Skeel,” said Claman. Claman expressed his gratitude toward Skeel as she has worked in healthcare for over 18 years, and politics were relatively new to her before deciding to run alongside Claman for a statewide office. 

Claman said the campaign gave him more opportunities to hear from the people he represents. Going forward, Claman said he will invest more time into improving healthcare access and hopes to apply what he has learned in his campaign to his work in the Senate. 

17 candidates remain for Alaska’s seat in the gubernatorial race. On August 18, those who remain in the race will compete for the four spots on the November ballot.