Shelley Hughes

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Shelley Hughes
Image of Shelley Hughes

Republican Party

Alaska State Senate District M
Tenure

2023 - Present

Term ends

2027

Years in position

2

Predecessor
Prior offices
Alaska House of Representatives District 11
Alaska State Senate District F
Successor: James Kaufman

Compensation

Base salary

$84,000/year

Per diem

$307/day

Elections and appointments
Last elected

November 8, 2022

Education

Associate

Cuyahoga Community College, 1985

Bachelor's

University of Alaska, Anchorage, 2003

Personal
Birthplace
Canton, Ohio
Religion
Christian: Nondenominational
Profession
Project director
Contact

Official website

Official Facebook

Official Twitter

Official Instagram

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Campaign Instagram

Personal Facebook

Personal LinkedIn

Shelley Hughes (Republican Party) is a member of the Alaska State Senate, representing District M. She assumed office on January 17, 2023. Her current term ends on January 19, 2027.

Hughes (Republican Party) ran for re-election to the Alaska State Senate to represent District M. She won in the general election on November 8, 2022.

Hughes completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Click here to read the survey answers.

On January 19, 2021, Republicans elected Hughes state Senate majority leader.[1] She served in this capacity until 2022.[2]

Hughes previously served in the Alaska House of Representatives, representing District 11 from her appointment in 2012 until 2017.

Biography

Shelley Hughes was born in Canton, Ohio. She earned an associate degree from Cuyahoga Community College in 1985 and a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Alaska in 2002. Hughes’ career experience includes working as a teacher at Mount Bethel Christian School. She served as the special projects volunteer director at Crossroads Community Church in Palmer.[3][4]

Committee assignments

Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes biannual updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at:[email protected].

2023-2024

Hughes was assigned to the following committees:

2021-2022

Hughes was assigned to the following committees:

2019-2020

Hughes was assigned to the following committees:

2017 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:

Alaska committee assignments, 2017
• Education, Chair
• Labor & Commerce, Vice chair
• Resources
• Armed Services

2015 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Hughes served on the following committees:

2013-2014

At the beginning of the 2013 legislative session, Hughes served on the following committees:

The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.


Elections

2022

See also: Alaska State Senate elections, 2022

General election

General election for Alaska State Senate District M

The ranked-choice voting election was won by Shelley Hughes in round 1 .

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 14,850
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Alaska State Senate District M

Incumbent Shelley Hughes and Jim Cooper advanced from the primary for Alaska State Senate District M on August 16, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Shelley Hughes
Shelley Hughes (R) Candidate Connection
 
75.7
 
7,707
✔
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Jim Cooper (D)
 
24.3
 
2,479

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 10,186
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Endorsements

To view Hughes' endorsements in the 2022 election, please click here.

2020

See also: Alaska State Senate elections, 2020

General election

General election for Alaska State Senate District F

Incumbent Shelley Hughes defeated Jim Cooper and Gavin Christiansen (Unofficially withdrew) in the general election for Alaska State Senate District F on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Shelley Hughes
Shelley Hughes (R)
 
71.3
 
14,775
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Jim Cooper (Independent)
 
23.7
 
4,908
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Gavin Christiansen (L) (Unofficially withdrew)
 
4.8
 
999
 Other/Write-in votes
 
0.1
 
29

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 20,711
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Alaska State Senate District F

Incumbent Shelley Hughes advanced from the Republican primary for Alaska State Senate District F on August 18, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Shelley Hughes
Shelley Hughes
 
100.0
 
4,759

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 4,759
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Alaska Democratic and Independence parties primary election

Alaska Democratic and Independence parties primary for Alaska State Senate District F

Stephany Jeffers advanced from the Alaska Democratic and Independence parties primary for Alaska State Senate District F on August 18, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Stephany Jeffers
Stephany Jeffers
 
100.0
 
1,992

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 1,992
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2016

See also: Alaska State Senate elections, 2016

Elections for the Alaska State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election took place on August 16, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was June 1, 2016.

Shelley Hughes defeated Tim Hale in the Alaska State Senate District F general election.[5][6]

Alaska State Senate, District F General Election, 2016
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.png Shelley Hughes 72.11% 12,284
     Independent Tim Hale 27.89% 4,750
Total Votes 17,034
Source: Alaska Secretary of State


Samantha I. Laudert-Rodgers ran unopposed in the Alaska State Senate District F Democratic Primary.[7][8]

Alaska State Senate, District F Democratic Primary, 2016
Party Candidate
    Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Samantha I. Laudert-Rodgers  (unopposed)


Shelley Hughes defeated Adam Crum and Steve St. Clair in the Alaska State Senate District F Republican Primary.[7][8]

Alaska State Senate, District F Republican Primary, 2016
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.png Shelley Hughes 48.09% 2,186
     Republican Adam Crum 41.47% 1,885
     Republican Steve St. Clair 10.45% 475
Total Votes 4,546

Endorsements

In 2016, Hughes' endorsements included the following:[9]

  • Former Governor Sean Parnell
  • Former Lt. Governor Loren Leman
  • Former Senator Fred Dyson

2014

See also: Alaska House of Representatives elections, 2014

Elections for the Alaska House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on August 19, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was June 2, 2014. Pete P. LaFrance was unopposed in the Democratic primary, while District 8 incumbent Shelley Hughes was unopposed in the Republican primary. Hughes defeated LaFrance in the general election.[10][11][12]

Alaska House of Representatives, District 11, General Election, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngShelley Hughes Incumbent 69.8% 5,268
     Democratic Pete P. LaFrance 30.2% 2,275
Total Votes 7,543

[13]

2012

See also: Alaska House of Representatives elections, 2012

Hughes ran in the 2012 election for Alaska House of Representatives District 8. She defeated Daniel Hamm in the Republican primary on August 28, 2012. The general election took place on November 6, 2012.[14][15] Hughes won re-election in the general election.[16]

Alaska House of Representatives, District 8, General Election, 2012
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngShelley Hughes Incumbent 95.6% 6,183
     Write-in Write-in 4.4% 282
Total Votes 6,465
Alaska House of Representatives, District 8 Republican Primary, 2012
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngShelley Hughes Incumbent 71.9% 1,813
Daniel Hamm 28.1% 709
Total Votes 2,522

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Candidate Connection

Shelley Hughes completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Hughes' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

I am a 46 year Alaskan, 32 years in Palmer. With my time previously in communities all over the state - Hoonah, Bethel, Fort Yukon, Fairbanks and Seward - I bring a statewide perspective that is unique in the legislature. My husband Rock and I raised our 4 children in Alaska and are blessed with 9 grandchildren and 3 more borrowed grandchildren whom we all love dearly. A background in project leadership, teaching, healthcare, and business, the skillsets most applicable to my job as senator have been listening, consensus building, and achieving solutions. I deeply care about our state, its vitality and its future. As a young mom in Alaska, I struggled under the poverty level. Alaska provided an opportunity for me to change my trajectory. I want opportunities to abound for this and future generations and always weigh matters through a lens of what is best for Alaskans, how can we reduce barriers, how can we promote individual liberties, how can we open doors for individuals to step into their destinies and help ensure vibrant and safe communities. With the constitution as our guide, a commitment to do what is good and right and true, tomorrow can be better than today!
  • I bring a track record of integrity, vision, and solutions to the Senate, never forgetting I work for all the residents of our district. Because not everyone will agree with me all the time, research, listening, and consensus building are key strategies I continually employ.
  • Past support by the vast majority of the district indicates to me that economic opportunities and stability, safe and vibrant communities, good infrastructure, excellent schools and secure livelihoods are important to you, but you do not want expansive, overbearing, or expensive government. I agree with you 100%. I have and will continue to work on this items with fervor and determination.
  • Bringing tangible solutions forward that we can get across the finish line is better than rhetoric any day of the week: microreactors to lower energy costs for families and to spur economic development and increased school accountability and choice to bring us academically from the bottom of the pile to the top and to equip a ready workforce are two examples.
Economic development (includes affordable energy solutions and infrastructure) and education need to be focus areas to ensure a strong economy and a sure path to a bright future. I also would like to address the unsustainably high cost of healthcare by unlocking free market principles that have not been fully operational in recent years. Success in these three areas will be neutralized if we do not also exercise fiscal discipline with our state budget. We must ensure our spending is better aligned with the size of our state population and economy while also ensuring necessary services. If we don't, we will face a crushing situation when high oil prices and our revenues drop.The PFD should not be a political football and must be settled, not just for the sake of fiscal certainty for the state budget and for the private sector but so the legislature has the bandwidth and focus to address other pressing matters of consequence to Alaskans.
I look up to parents whose children beat the odds, those men and women who did not have much of an education but did something right to build character and work ethic in their children - and then those children went on to become great contributors to our society. Those who were single moms and accomplished this feat are my all-time heroes: Ben Carson's mom is one who comes to mind. I also look up to those who have persevered and overcome obstacles and were strong leaders whose decision-making impacted lives such as Abraham Lincoln in US history and Esther in Jewish history.
Team of Rivals re: Abraham Lincoln
My value for the individual, for believing that a person has the right to dream and develop his or her potential is a guiding principle for me. I do not want government and overbearing restrictions and unnecessary burdens instituted by state agencies to hold Alaskans back. The capacity to really listen and grasp and understand what others are thinking is essential in order to build consensus. A good old-fashioned work ethic, a willingness to put in long hours while keeping the goal always in mind is important. An elected official needs to be decisive and speak up when something is going off-track or when learning something new means taking a different position on an issue than the position held prior. Finally, and fundamental to service as an elected official is always, always remember the people are the employer and the Constitution is the law.
A few key thoughts come to mind give insight into my M.O.:

I am
- thoughtful but a fighter.
- persistent but patient.
- strong but compassionate.
- smart but eager to learn more.

In both the beginning and the end: integrity and character matter.
- Listen to constituents, ensure they have access to senate office and to information

- Communicate well with folks back home when in the capital during the session
- Consider issues from both the perspective as a district but also as a region in relationship to the entire state
- Build and nurture positive relationships with colleagues of all stripes in both the legislative and executive branches
- Keep your word
- Research and do your homework; be prepared; know how you're going to vote (don't be a follower)
- Know who the experts are you can trust and use as a resource

- Stay accountable to the public: what you say when you campaign should align with what you do in Juneau
I left Alaska better than I found it because I did what was right for the people and honored God in the process.
I remember the assassination of John F. Kennedy and my parents being glued to the television. I was 5 years old. I remember more vividly the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. at age 10 and being moved deeply by what he stood for and fought for - and following it myself on the news.
First job in high school was cleaning houses in the summer for two years with a team of women. We worked hard, did a phenomenal job, and had many satisfied customers. I remember using my first few paychecks to pay for damage to the family car (hit a post while backing out of a driveway picking up my little sister from a friend's house).
The Bible. It never gets old and is packed full of wisdom and truth. It guides and feeds me in tough times and good times and reminds me there is more to life than what we see with our eyes; it reminds me that I'm human but there is One who is not and He is accessible to mankind.
Raindrops keep falling on my head - because of the recent rain and getting drenched between my car and a building earlier in the day!
Good communication between the executive and legislative branches is key but an understanding that the two branches of government are separate. The governor should cast a vision and make proposals but it is up to the legislature to determine what the policy and direction should actually be as well as the budget. In other words, the legislature is to set the course and the governor's duty is to steer the ship. Because there will not always be agreement and each branch has leeway, the wind and waves may make the journey tumultuous at times but ideally there will be forward movement that is good for Alaskans.
Would need to study this more but with a cursory mental glance, I'd say it removes the check and balance a second chamber would provide. Often important items are missed in the first body of referral and are caught in the second body. I've observed too in our bicameral system, if two bodies pass something, it is more apt to represent the will of the people. When an item passes just one body and is dying in the second, and there is not considerable advocacy from the public to resurrect that item, it is likely the support for the item is not as broad as the first body thought. I suppose a benefit of a unicameral system would be that the process would be more streamlined so the legislative session would be less likely to drag on and special sessions would be rare.
It can be beneficial for some legislators to have this background experience but it is not necessary for all. I had no prior elected office experience and came straight out of the private sector and that brought a needed fresh perspective. At the same time, others who have previously served on local city councils and on school boards come with an understanding that is helpful when working on certain pieces of legislation.
Absolutely. It's all about relationships and building consensus on solutions.
System in Alaska seems to work fairly well. I'd be open to hearing suggestions for improvements from those who've been closely involved in the process as well as from the public in general.
n/a
As Senate Majority Leader the past two years, I was most concerned about the gridlock on key issues that had been occurring for the prior five years, especially on the education (Read by 9) bill and the sexual crime legislation. Good leadership was need to find a path forward for things that had been stalled due to legislators being wrapped around the axle on the PFD. I knew I could help with that, and I did. We got both those items across the finish line, and I was a key player in making that happen right up until the final hours until adjournment of the session.
Rather than one legislator as a model, I see particular attributes in various legislators I aspire to achieve.
Perhaps. Many Alaskans have asked me to do so but four years is a long time and a lot can happen during that time period, so we shall see.....
Stories from those who've built their lives after years of substance abuse and perhaps time in prison give me great hope that we can stop the revolving prison door, that we can reduce the recidivisim rate.
Favorite joke is always changing. Most recent one that gave me a chuckle: What makes a joke a dad joke? When it's full groan.
There needs to be a short window the governor can exercise emergency powers but the legislature needs to provide a greater check and balance than what is currently in statute so that specific orders cannot continue on for months. Our disaster statutes were designed for wildfires, flooding and earthquakes - relatively short term events - not for extended pandemics.
Consensus building is key to getting items across the finish line.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

2020

Shelley Hughes did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

2016

Hughes' campaign website highlighted the following issues:

“

Priorities for Shelley Hughes - Are These Important to You Too?

  • Limit Government - Promote Private Sector
  • Grow Our Businesses - Create Great Jobs
  • Develop Resources - Ensure Good Stewardship
  • Grow Infrastructure - Build Roads
  • Improve Schools - Develop a Great Workforce
  • Promote Public Safety - Equip for Emergencies[17]
 ”
—Shelley Hughes, [18]

Campaign finance summary

Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

Shelley Hughes campaign contribution history
YearOfficeStatusContributionsExpenditures
2022Alaska State Senate District MWon general$39,083 $39,740
2020Alaska State Senate District FWon general$58,578 N/A**
2016Alaska State Senate, District FWon $87,861 N/A**
2014Alaska State House, District 11Won $55,589 N/A**
Grand total$241,110 $39,740
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

Scorecards

See also: State legislative scorecards and State legislative scorecards in Alaska

A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.

Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.

Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Alaska scorecards, email suggestions to [email protected].


2024


2023


2022


2021


2020


2019


2018


2017


2016


2015


2014


2013


2012

Personal

Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.

Email [email protected] to notify us of updates to this biography.

Hughes and her husband, Roger, have four children.[20]

See also

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External links

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    Footnotes

    1. ↑ Anchorage Daily News, "Republicans confirm control of Alaska Senate, but Alaska House remains deadlocked," January 20, 2021
    2. ↑ ‘’KTOO News,’’ “In new bipartisan Alaska Senate majority of 17, members vow compromise and consensus,” accessed February 7, 2024
    3. ↑ The Alaska State Legislature, "Senator Shelley Hughes," accessed October 2, 2019
    4. ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on October 10, 2022
    5. ↑ State of Alaska Division of Elections, "November 8, 2016 General Election Candidate List," accessed August 22, 2016
    6. ↑ Alaska Secretary of State, "General Election Official Results 2016," accessed December 2, 2016
    7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 State of Alaska Division of Elections, "August 16, 2016 Primary Candidate List," accessed June 8, 2016
    8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 State of Alaska Division of Elections, "2016 Primary Election results," accessed September 12, 2016
    9. ↑ Alaskans for Hughes, "Endorsements," accessed July 26, 2016
    10. ↑ Alaska Secretary of State, "Official primary candidate list," accessed June 4, 2014
    11. ↑ Alaska Secretary of State, "Official primary election results," accessed January 1, 2015
    12. ↑ Alaska Secretary of State, "Official General Election Results," accessed November 25, 2014
    13. ↑ Alaska Secretary of State, "Official general election candidate list," accessed September 11, 2014
    14. ↑ Alaska Division of Elections, "2012 Primary Candidate List," accessed March 12, 2014
    15. ↑ Alaska Division of Elections, "Official 2012 Primary Results," accessed March 12, 2014
    16. ↑ Alaska Election Division, "Official 2012 General election results," accessed November 16, 2012
    17. ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
    18. ↑ Alaskans for Hughes, "Main page," accessed July 26, 2016
    19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 19.5 Alaska Business Report Card, "About," accessed November 5, 2019 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "abrc" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "abrc" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "abrc" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "abrc" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "abrc" defined multiple times with different content
    20. ↑ Project Vote Smart, "Biography," accessed March 12, 2014

    Political offices
    Preceded by
    Josh Revak (R)     		Alaska State Senate District M
    2023-Present    		 Succeeded by
    -
    Preceded by
    -     		Alaska State Senate District F
    2017-2023    		 Succeeded by
    James Kaufman (R)
    Preceded by
    -     		Alaska House of Representatives District 11
    2012-2017    		 Succeeded by
    -


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