Johnson named Minority Leader in Alaska House

Just as Representatives Cathy Tilton and Mike Shower take their spots in the Alaskan Senate, the Alaska House Republican Caucus announced that it has selected Representative DeLena Johnson, Palmer, as the new Minority Leader and Representative Justin Ruffridge, Soldotna, as the new Minority Whip.

Caucus members met over the weekend to fill the organization's top leadership positions, which were vacant, as the 34th Alaska Legislature prepares to convene next month.

Organizational decisions are pending the appointment and confirmation of new representatives for House Districts 26 and 29. Committee assignments will be announced once those representatives are sworn in. A second leadership vote will be conducted if needed.

Rep. Johnson has deep roots in the Mat-Su valley. The former Palmer mayor was raised in Talkeetna. She represents House District 25, including Palmer, Butte, Lazy Mountain, and the Walby Lake area.

She has been elected three times to serve in the Alaska State Legislature. In the 30th State Legislature she served on the House Resources, State Affairs, and Energy Committees. She was elected House Minority Whip while serving in the 31st Alaska State Legislature. Currently serving in the 33rd Alaska State Legislature, she is Co-Chair of Finance – Operating Budget, and a member of the Legislative Ethics Committee and the Judiciary, University, and Commerce and Economic Development finance subcommittees.

Rep. Ruffridge represents House District 7, which includes Kenai and Soldotna. The former city councilman is a pharmacist and replaces Rep. Cathy Tilton as whip after she joined the Alaska Senate.

Johnson had expressed interest in leading the House Republicans after the previous Minority Leader resigned last month.

“I don’t want to see the House Republicans go too long without leadership in place,” Rep. Johnson said. “If we had at least one of the leadership positions filled, we could have carried on but without either position we were lacking in key tools to move forward and be effective as a caucus.”