Governor appoints Rauscher, Tilton to Alaska State Senate

Gov. Mike Dunleavy announced the appointments of Representative George Rauscher and Representative Cathy Tilton to the Alaska State Senate Nov. 26, filling vacancies created by the resignations of Senator Mike Shower and Senator Shelley Hughes.

“I can’t think of two Alaskans more qualified and committed to public service to serve in the Alaska Senate than Representatives Rauscher and Tilton,” said Governor Dunleavy. “I have known and worked with both for as long as I have been in public office and I look forward to working collaboratively with them as senators. I also want to thank the local Republican district committees for taking the time to meet, deliberate, and send forward names for these seats. This process works best when the people closest to the communities are involved.”

Rauscher served as a Representative after being elected to the Alaska State House in 2017, representing the 29th District (Sutton) prior to 2020 redistricting he represented the 9th District.

He spent his first six years in the minority yet succeeded in passing two bills during his first session. Over nine years of service, he has authored and passed nine bills, and co-authored, amended, or guided many others. He has served on the House Special Committee on Energy, Resources, and Military & Veterans Affairs, chairing the Energy Committee and serving as Vice Chair of Resources from 2022 to 2024. During that time he also served as Majority Whip.

Over her first four terms, Tilton served as Chair of the Community and Regional Affairs Committee and spent two terms as a member of the House Finance Committee where she championed a new spending cap to the constitution and proposed dozens of budget cuts. Tilton was the leader of the Republican House Minority.

In January 2023, she was elected as the 23rd Speaker of the Alaska State House. She is the fourth woman elected to the position, the second elected from the Mat-Su and the first Republican Speaker from the Mat-Su. While Speaker, she was chair of the Committee on Committees, Vice-Chair of the Rules Committee and a member of the Ways and Means and Arctic Policy, Economic Development and Tourism committees.

Shower resigned from his position in October as he begins his campaign for Lieutenant Governor on the ticket with gubernatorial candidate Bernadette Wilson. Hughes submitted her resignation from the Alaska Senate on earlier this month to pursue her gubernatorial candidacy, according to a news release from her campaign.

Dunleavy also recognized the outgoing senators, Mike Shower and Shelley Hughes who, he said, have been strong voices for the Mat-Su and for Alaska.

“I appreciate their years of service in the Senate and the work they’ve done on behalf of their constituents,” added Governor Dunleavy.