The Putting Alaskans First Committee (PAFC) is a political action committee that supports pro-labor union candidates in Alaska and promotes the interests of labor unions in the state. ^{1  2}

As of 2026, its largest funders are the political action arms of the National Education Association-Alaska (NEA-Alaska),  the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees-affiliated Alaska State Employees Association (ASEA/AFSCME), and the Alaska local of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW).  ¹

Overview

The Putting Alaskans First Committee is a political action committee promoting the interests of organized labor in Alaska.  ^{1  3  4  5}

Its chair is Kimberly Hayes, the political director of the Alaska AFL-CIO, and its headquarters is at the same Anchorage address as the offices of the Alaska AFL-CIO and the Alaska local of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW).  ^{6  3}

PAFC generally supports Democratic Party-aligned candidates, as well as some centrist Republicans in primary elections against more right-of-center opponents. ⁵ Its support of more centrist Republicans is part of an open effort to create a “bipartisan coalition” in the state legislature that would be conducive to advancing labor unions’ policy priorities. ^{4  5}

In the 2024 election cycle, PAFC supported candidates in the state primary and general elections, and in municipal elections in Anchorage, the City of Fairbanks, Fairbanks Northstar, Juneau, Kenai Peninsula, and Matanuska-Susitna boroughs. ⁶ It reported making $1,031,363 in regulated expenditures in 2024. ⁷

Finances

The Putting Alaskans First Committee receives a large majority of its funding from labor unions and aligned organizations.  ⁸ These have included statewide unions, union locals, PACs, and other entities affiliated with the AFL-CIO, the National Education Association, AFSCME, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, the International Union of Operating Engineers, the Laborers’ International Union of North America, the American Nurses Association, the International Association of Fire Fighters, the Service Employees International Union, United Association (UA), the Alaska Correctional Officers Association, and the Anchorage Police Department Employees Association. ⁸

Former hedge fund manager and left-of-center philanthropist and activist John D. Arnold of Arnold Ventures contributed $150,000 to PAFC in 2024. ⁹ He and his wife, Laura Arnold, also contributed $50,000 to the PAFC in the 2022 campaign cycle. ¹⁰

In a nominally nonpartisan 2023 election for a state assembly seat representing part of Anchorage, the PAFC ran radio ads attacking Republican-affiliated candidate Brian Flynn.  ³ In compliance with Alaska campaign finance laws that require organizations running political ads to disclose their top three contributors in their advertising, PAFC listed the UNITE AMERICA PAC affiliated with the left-of-center Unite America Institute, the LIUNA Political Fund of the Laborers’ International Union of North America, and the NEA-Alaska PAC. ³

1. “Putting Alaskans First Committee.” PAFC. Accessed March 9, 2026. https://www.puttingalaskansfirst.org/.
2. “Putting Alaskans First Committee.” ProPublica 527 Explorer. Accessed March 9, 2026. https://projects.propublica.org/527-explorer/orgs/900619693.
3. Gimarc, Alex. “Putting Alaskans First Wants to Keep the Clown Car Running the Assembly.” Must Read Alaska, March 24, 2023. https://mustreadalaska.com/alex-gimarc-putting-alaskans-first-wants-to-keep-the-clown-car-running-the-assembly/.
4. Stone, Eric. “Moderate Alaska House and Senate Candidates Lead in Fundraising a Month out from Election.” Alaska Public Media, December 17, 2024. https://alaskapublic.org/news/2024-10-09/moderate-alaska-house-and-senate-candidates-lead-in-fundraising-a-month-out-from-election-day.
5. Davidson, Joel. “Powerful Outside Democrat Operatives Back These Alaska Republicans.” Alaska Watchman, October 31, 2024. https://alaskawatchman.com/2024/10/31/powerful-outside-democrat-operatives-back-these-alaska-republicans/.
6. “Group Registration Form.” Alaska Public Offices Commission, April 5, 2024. https://aws.state.ak.us/ApocReports/Common/View.aspx?ID=6198&ViewType=GR.
7. “Independent Expenditures.” Alaska Public Offices Commission, 2024. https://aws.state.ak.us/ApocReports/IndependentExpenditures/IEExpenditures.aspx.
8. “Contribution Report Search.” Alaska Public Offices Commission. Accessed March 9, 2026. https://aws.state.ak.us/ApocReports/IndependentExpenditures/IEContributions.aspx.
9. “Independent Expenditures Form 15-6.” Alaska Public Offices Commission, January 30, 2024. https://aws.state.ak.us/ApocReports/Common/View.aspx?ID=6348&ViewType=IE.
10. Samuels, Iris. “Large Campaign Contributions Shape Alaska’s Governor Race.” Anchorage Daily News, October 12, 2022. https://www.adn.com/politics/2022/10/11/large-campaign-contributions-shape-alaskas-governor-race/.