Hello Alaska with Matt and Pat

It's hard to believe the election is right around the corner, which also means the end of this onslaught of advertising mailing is in sight. With millions of dollars being spent, Matt and Pat break down what they've been seeing and what it says about the state of the race. They also share a few listener dispatches on corny ads and hefty hauls of mailers. Related Links Ad: MARY PELTOLA HURT...

This year's election is around the corner, and bringing plenty of surprises. President Donald Trump visited Alaska, and shared an impressively low opinion of Republican gubernatorial candidates Dave Bronson and Treg Taylor. Matt and Pat also talk about the troubling new grooming allegations against a sitting state lawmaker, and also unpack the strategy behind ranking the "Terrible Three.&...

With the election less than a month away, Matt and Pat get into the local elections, the debates, the nuanced differences between candidates, the fundraising and a big campaign claim that has Matt asking the question: can Alaska simply drill its way to cheap gas for everyone?  Related Links Early results show Juneau voters favor new seasonal tax, oppose property tax cut reversal Democrat JKT raise...

We're in the final sprint to the November election, and things are getting a little loopy in Alaska. Matt and Pat break down the New York Times' story about Mary Peltola, and what they've heard and how it is—or isn't—shaking up the race. Then they take a look at the Republican side of the ticket, where some candidates are distancing themselves from President Donald Trump and Gov. M...

Matt and Pat work through yet another round of drama in Alaska's race for governor, discussing whether Treg Taylor got special treatment by getting back into the race despite intentionally ignoring the state's disclosure laws.  Then the guys get into the Alaska Republicans' long-simmering infighting, and how it's being tested this year.  Related Links When will Alaska’s statewide candidates debate...

The dust has settled on Alaska's primary election.  Matt and Pat break it down: the surprises, what they learned, and what the path to November looks like. They also talk about the role the state's open primary system played—or didn't play—in some last-minute drama.  Then Pat reflects on one of Alaska's most formative political events: The VECO scandal, which turned 20 this week. ...

Matt and Pat break down the results from Alaska's August 16 primary election, from Mary Peltola's stand-out performance in the US Senate race to the races for US House, Governor and the state legislature, and what it all. might mean for November. They also touch on the news that, once again, Alaskans living in rural communities ran into roadblocks with voting. Related Links Alaskans vote t...

Ahead of Alaska's Aug. 18 primary election, Matt and Pat dig into the final slate of fundraising numbers for the 17-way race for governor, talk some of the strategy around voting in the open primary and even dare to make a couple of predictions for how voting will shake out next week. Matt also shares a story from his return to reporting in the field.  Related Links Alaska Voter Information Lo...

Are you registered to vote? Well, if you became a citizen sometime in the last eight years, it's probably worth checking. Matt and Pat break down the Division of Election's nonsensical voter purge, executed with admittedly "old data," and they talk about bigger issues around how this year's election is being run. They also talk about the money in this year's races. Relate...

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Matt and Pat dive into the first good look at how the fundraising race for Alaska's sprawling gubernatorial race is shaping up. Who raised the most? Who's gaining steam and who's petering out? And, importantly, who bought the most candy for parades? Meanwhile, the AKLNG project is really wrapped around the axle.  Related Links Hill will get...

Pat returns from an awesome Southeast Alaska kayak trip with a bit of history and a lot about hand-made kayaks, and Matt has plenty of updates for all the latest in Alaska's political world. Then they get into the Fourth of July, what you can divine from parade attendance, the upcoming election cycle and a celebration of our foundational rights.  Related Links Christian Nationalist lawmaker ge...

Roll out the red carpet, the 2026 Noble and Not-so-Noble Legislative Session Awards show is here!  Who’s the Best Senator in a Leading Role? The bill Most Likely to Succeed? The legislator Most Likely to Secede? The Biggest Pipeline Pig?  But first, we gotta talk more about this whole fast-evolving Dans Sullivan situation — and bring in a special guest who knows a thing or two about history repeat...

The filing deadline for governor has passed, and a sprawling slate of 17 candidates is off in the race to be Alaska's next governor. Never one to do things by the book, Matt shares a very video game-y primer on the field based on his very scientific system of the Votable Index Based Entirely on Science (AKA VIBES). Pat has thoughts, but luckily the VIBES tiers list is a living document. The gu...

The session wrapped up last week, but what really happened? What passed? What failed? Matt and Pat explore the tricky task of following the final sprint through the lens of Matt's favorite time-waster: fantasy football. Meanwhile, the special session on the AKLNG pipeline is underway, and now that legislators are getting a better look at the project, they're not thrilled with what they&#39...

Description The final days of Alaska's legislative session -- the time when things are most critical -- also happen to be when everyone is emerging from hibernation to recreate ... and host comic conventions. In this episode, Matt has an update for Pat on what's been happening with the session's final sprint, as well as an explainer on the AKLNG project that the governor is trying to g...

Description How often have you heard that the state's budget problems are simple? Just treat it like a household budget and tighten your belt! Run it like a business! In this episode, Matt and Pat get into the nitty-gritty of budget metaphors to understand where they're helpful and where they're not.  Articles we mentioned Alaska House votes to ban Styrofoam food containers as most Rep...

Description Matt and Pat dive into budget amendments and peek over the edge of the fiscal cliff.  Related Article  ⁠ SNAP work requirements don’t boost jobs, but drop participation, research finds Pat’s Video  ⁠The Alaska Permanent Fund & State Fiscal Crisis   Contact Info If you've got something you want to share, you can leave us a message by dialing FIND-A-PIZZA (that's 346-327-4992...

Matt and Pat talk about their connections to Alaska and why they stick around. Related Articles Opinion: We were honored as Alaska Teachers of the Year. Now we can no longer stay Murkowski’s thrilled about drilling under Trump, everything else not so much Here’s that Scranton article and Dave Reamer's post about it Contact Info If you've got something you want to share, you can leave us a...

This is a podcast about Alaska, brought to you by two guys who love it. We'll talk about what's working, what isn't, and a whole lot of other things. Thanks for listening!