Lesil McGuire
Republican candidate for Governor in Alaska
Alaska Governor winner? (Person)
$611.2K
NOV 3, 2027
General Election
Voters choose the office holder.
Live Odds — Alaska Governor winner? (Person)
Current prediction-market probability for the candidate, updated as market prices change.
1%chance to win
$611.2KNOV 3, 2027Candidate Overview
Key details about the candidate’s background, party, office sought and current campaign.
Current roleFormer State Senator
PartyRepublican
Political ideologyModerate Republican
Age55 years old (Jan 22, 1971)
GenderFemale
Show moreShow less
LocationAlaska
BackgroundPolitician
EducationWillamette University — B.A. (1989–1993)
Notable personal detailsLesil Lynn McGuire is an American politician and attorney who served in the Alaska Legislature from 2001 to 2016, including as an Alaska State Senator from 2007 to 2017 after service in the Alaska House of Representatives. She was born in Portland, Oregon, and has lived in Anchorage since childhood. In 2026, she filed to run for Governor of Alaska.
SourcesShowHide
Political Positions
Economy & Taxes
Lesil McGuire has sponsored and voted for measures to restructure use of Alaska Permanent Fund earnings to pay for state operations and reduce annual Permanent Fund Dividend payouts; her record emphasizes using fund earnings to help balance the state budget rather than maintaining larger dividend distributions. She has participated in oil-tax reform efforts and legislative actions focused on changing revenue structures to address budget shortfalls.
Healthcare
Lesil McGuire has sponsored and cosponsored state legislation expanding or improving public healthcare services (including bills on designated caregivers at hospital discharge, Medicaid coverage for traumatic brain injury services, and long-term care insurance). She served on the Senate Health & Social Services committee and has a legislative record of supporting targeted expansions of government-run health programs and services.
Show moreShow less
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
The candidate supported legislation to define and limit what counts as a "medically necessary" abortion for purposes of Medicaid funding and backed bills that define abortion/unborn child and create civil actions related to harm to an unborn child. These actions indicate support for restricting certain abortion funding and for statutory definitions that limit abortion access, while also engaging in related health-program debates.
Climate & Energy
Supports development of renewable energy and state-level clean-energy policy while also promoting responsible resource development and Arctic energy planning. Has sponsored state sustainable-energy legislation, advocated for renewable targets and energy agency consolidation, and worked on Arctic policy emphasizing adaptation and Alaska’s energy interests.
Public Safety & Guns
Lesil McGuire has supported legislation that would restrict the University of Alaska’s ability to ban concealed firearms on campus and cosponsored bills expanding firearm allowances. Her legislative record shows support for easing limits on where firearms may be carried while maintaining general law-and-order stances from her tenure as a state senator.
Latest News
Lesil McGuire is in the news as a candidate in Alaska’s governor race, where she and Sara Rasmussen are pushing to finish in the top four in the August 18 election. McGuire has been campaigning on affordable energy, public safety, and keeping young Alaskans in the state. Recent coverage is mostly about her campaign message and ballot positioning, not election results or endorsements.
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Polls
- Endorsements
- Fundraising