In a political stunner out of Alaska, Republican Mayor David Pruhs was unseated by Democrat Mindy O’Neall in the Fairbanks mayoral election Tuesday night — a result that’s raising eyebrows across the state and beyond.
Despite no party labels appearing on the ballot, the numbers told a clear story: O’Neall secured 1,808 votes (54 percent) to Pruhs’ 1,528 (45.7 percent), according to unofficial results released by the City of Fairbanks. With a margin of more than 250 votes, Pruhs conceded quickly.
“The race is over. Mindy O’Neall won,” he told Alaska’s News Source. “A few votes yet to be counted, but I’m down by 250 votes. The voters have spoken.”
Fairbanks, a city that hasn’t elected a Democratic mayor in nearly a decade, flipped blue in what local officials and observers are calling an unexpected upset. While city ballots are nonpartisan, the battle lines were clear: Pruhs was a conservative incumbent backed by local Republicans. O’Neall, the presiding officer of the Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly, had the weight of the Alaska Democratic Party behind her.
“It was a perfect storm for her to take the seat, and she did that. So congratulations to Mindy O’Neall,” Pruhs said.
He didn’t hide his frustration with the level of outside support O’Neall received, calling it a key factor in the loss. “When you have an entire state Democratic Party focused on one race, it’s hard to rebuff that,” he said.
For Democrats, the win couldn’t have come at a more critical moment. With Alaska’s long-standing Republican lean — the state hasn’t had a Democratic U.S. senator since 1981 and only one Democratic House member since 1973 — this local victory is being seen as a signal flare ahead of the 2026 statewide contests. The party is clearly testing its strength in new terrain.
A Wake-Up Call in a Low-Turnout City
Turnout was low — as usual. Only 15 to 20 percent of registered voters typically participate in city elections, according to KUAC TV. Still, Fairbanks hasn’t unseated an incumbent mayor in nearly ten years, making O’Neall’s win all the more remarkable.
O’Neall took to Facebook late Tuesday night to thank her supporters and outline her vision.
“My campaign was about building a Fairbanks where everyone is respected, where housing is affordable, where public safety is rooted in trust, and where our community is vibrant and resilient,” she said. “We’ve proven that Fairbanks still believes in listening, planning and bringing people together to solve problems.”
She added: “Our campaign was built on collaboration and compassion, and that’s exactly how I’ll lead. Tomorrow, the work begins again.”
Pruhs, who was elected in 2022, leaves office after just one term but remained gracious in defeat.
“This has been a humbling, most rewarding experience, being mayor of city of Fairbanks for three years,” he said. “There is no better job in the elected world than being the mayor of city Fairbanks. And I wish Mindy the best.”
The election results will be certified later this month, with O’Neall set to be sworn in shortly afterward. With control of the mayor’s office flipping, Fairbanks becomes a new focal point in Alaska’s political landscape — and possibly a testing ground for how far Democrats can push into traditionally red territory.
