

Matt Heilala
Alaska Governor winner? (Person)
General Election
Voters choose the office holder.
Overview
Current rolePodiatrist (DPM)
PartyRepublican
Political ideologyConservative Republican
GenderMale
LocationAlaska
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BackgroundPodiatrist (DPM)
EducationUniversity of Oregon (undergraduate studies)
Notable personal detailsMatt Andrew Heilala is an Alaska Republican candidate for Governor in the 2026 election cycle. He is a podiatrist and business owner in Anchorage and founded Alaska Foot & Ankle Specialists in 2000. He has served as an appointee to the Alaska State Medical Board (confirmed in 2022) and has participated in local public health-related civic service in Anchorage.
SourcesShowHide
Positions
Healthcare
Supports restricting certain medical treatments for minors and has promoted disciplinary action against providers who deliver gender-affirming care to youth; no broad agenda for government-run universal coverage appears on his campaign materials.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
The candidate has advocated for restricting abortion protections in Alaska and supported official Medical Board language characterizing late-term abortions as unethical and urging legislative changes to align state law with community values. He has publicly pushed for reducing the scope of abortion access while serving on the Alaska State Medical Board.
News
Matt Heilala is in the news because he is a candidate in Alaska’s crowded 2026 governor race. A recent report said he had not yet chosen a running mate even as the June 1 filing deadline approached. That matters because gubernatorial candidates must pick a lieutenant governor partner to qualify for the August 18 primary ballot.
Polls

Aggregation source: FiftyPlusOne
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Endorsements
- Fundraising



