Dave Bronson
David Bronson (born June 26, 1958) is an American Republican politician, retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel, and former commercial airline pilot who served as mayor of Anchorage, Alaska, from July 1, 2021, to July 1, 2024.[1][2] Bronson, a native of Superior, Wisconsin, enlisted in the U.S. Air Force after college, serving as a pilot flying B-1 and B-52 bombers from 1981 to 1990 before continuing in the Air Force Reserve and Alaska Air National Guard until retiring as a lieutenant colonel after 24 years of service.[1][3] Following his military career, he worked for three decades as a commercial pilot and co-founded the Alaska Family Council, advocating for conservative family values.[3] Elected mayor in a 2021 runoff amid public dissatisfaction with pandemic policies and urban decline following the resignation of the previous incumbent in a scandal, Bronson's administration prioritized reopening the economy, enhancing public safety through police pay raises and resource allocation, and addressing homelessness through enforcement and shelter initiatives.[4][5] His tenure was marked by frequent conflicts with the left-leaning Anchorage Assembly over fiscal and policy matters, including COVID-19 responses and budget priorities.[6] Bronson's mayoralty faced multiple controversies, including allegations of unethical conduct and retaliation raised by his fired municipal manager, some of which were substantiated by the city ombudsman regarding procedural irregularities, though Bronson maintained these were politically motivated attacks.[7] Investigations into administration contracts and decisions, such as those involving associates, drew scrutiny but did not result in formal charges against him.[8] After leaving office, Bronson briefly managed Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport before resigning in September 2025, and in October 2025, he announced his candidacy for governor of Alaska in the 2026 election, emphasizing economic growth, public safety, and resource development.[9][6]Early life and education
Childhood and upbringing
Dave Bronson was born on June 26, 1958, in Superior, Wisconsin.[10] He grew up in the city's South End neighborhood as the second oldest of five children to parents Bill and Sandy Bronson.[2] The family home on Oakes Avenue remained occupied by his parents as of 2021.[2] During his childhood, Bronson delivered copies of the local Evening Telegram newspaper.[2]Formal education
Bronson graduated from Superior High School in Superior, Wisconsin.[2] He subsequently attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural economics.[11][2] No advanced degrees are documented in available records.[12]Pre-political career
Military service
Dave Bronson served 24 years in total military service across the United States Air Force, Air Force Reserve, and Alaska Air National Guard, retiring at the rank of lieutenant colonel.[1] His active duty began as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force from 1981 to 1990, during which he flew B-52 Stratofortress bombers and B-1 Lancers.[3][13] Following active duty, Bronson continued in the Air Force Reserve and transitioned to the Alaska Air National Guard, where he served as a maintenance officer and pilot of C-130 Hercules aircraft.[13] He achieved the rank of lieutenant colonel prior to retirement.[13][14]Civilian aviation and management roles
Following his military service, Bronson pursued a career as a commercial airline pilot, accumulating approximately 30 years of experience before retiring in 2021.[15][2] He initially flew for Northwest Airlines, operating international passenger routes such as those to Shanghai and Amsterdam several times per week.[15] After Northwest's acquisition by Delta Air Lines in 2008, he continued in a similar capacity with Delta, serving as a senior captain.[16][17] Bronson's civilian aviation roles also encompassed international cargo operations, spanning about 18 years alongside his commercial passenger flying.[18][19] No formal executive or administrative management positions in civilian aviation are documented prior to his political entry, though his senior captain status involved operational leadership responsibilities typical of that rank.[17]Political career
2021 Anchorage mayoral campaign and election
The 2021 Anchorage mayoral election followed the October 2020 resignation of Mayor Ethan Berkowitz, who stepped down amid personal reasons and ongoing COVID-19 challenges, leaving Acting Mayor Austin in place until the vote. A nonpartisan special general election occurred on April 6, 2021, featuring 15 candidates; as no one reached the 45% threshold required to win outright, a runoff was held on May 11, 2021, between the top two finishers, Dave Bronson and Forrest Dunbar.[20] Bronson, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel and former CEO of a commercial trucking firm, entered the race as a political outsider emphasizing fiscal conservatism, enhanced public safety, and resistance to pandemic-era restrictions imposed by the progressive Anchorage Assembly.[15] In the general election, Bronson secured 33% of the vote, advancing alongside Dunbar's 31%; other candidates, including Bill Falsey and Mike Robbins, trailed with 15% or less. Conservative endorsements consolidated behind Bronson post-general election, with Robbins describing him as "the last man standing of the conservative candidates" and urging his victory to counter Assembly dominance.[21] The runoff campaign highlighted stark ideological divides: Bronson advocated expanding the police force to around 500 officers, 5-8% departmental budget cuts (sparing law enforcement), enforcement against illegal street behaviors amid homelessness, and ending mask mandates and business closures, arguing they exacerbated economic woes—"If we would have stuck with the original plan… we wouldn't be dealing with the economic crisis that we're facing right now."[22] [23] He criticized Dunbar's Assembly record, labeling Anchorage "in worse shape" due to decisions like extending emergency declarations and accusing him of aligning with "defund the police" sentiments despite Dunbar's votes to add 100 officers.[23] Dunbar, an East Anchorage Assembly member affiliated with Democratic priorities, countered by defending data-backed health orders that he said averted higher deaths and ICU overloads—"If we hadn't had these health controls, we would have had far more people get seriously ill and far more people die"—while prioritizing housing, treatment, and employment for homelessness over primary policing, and maintaining police staffing at 430-450 officers with support for Acting Chief Ken McCoy.[22] [23] Debates and forums, including a televised KTUU discussion, underscored these contrasts, with Bronson rejecting "draconian" budget-slashing labels and both agreeing on affordable housing needs but differing on regulatory reforms.[24] Voter discontent with Assembly-backed restrictions—such as capacity limits and mask rules, blamed for business losses up to 75%—propelled Bronson despite Anchorage's leftward electoral shift, as small business owners and anti-mandate groups like Save Anchorage rallied against perceived overreach.[25] Bronson won the runoff with 50.66% (approximately 44,000 votes) to Dunbar's 49.34% (about 42,800 votes), a margin of roughly 1,200 votes from over 87,000 cast; preliminary leads of 627 votes grew to over 1,100 as absentee ballots were tallied, leading Dunbar to concede on May 21, 2021.[26] [27] [28]| Election Stage | Candidate | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| General (April 6, 2021) | Dave Bronson | 33% |
| General (April 6, 2021) | Forrest Dunbar | 31% |
| Runoff (May 11, 2021) | Dave Bronson | 50.66% |
| Runoff (May 11, 2021) | Forrest Dunbar | 49.34% |