{{short description|American politician}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2016}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Matt Claman | image = Matt Claman at the LaFrance inauguration (cropped).jpg | caption = Claman at Suzanne LaFrance's mayoral inauguration, July 2024 | office = Member of the Alaska Senate | term_start = January 17, 2023 | predecessor = Mia Costello | constituency = H district | office1 = Member of the Alaska House of Representatives | term_start1 = January 20, 2015 | term_end1 = January 2023 | predecessor1 = Lindsey Holmes | successor1 = Jennie Armstrong (16th district, redistricted) | constituency1 = 21st district | office2 = Mayor of Anchorage | status2 = Acting | term_start2 = January 3, 2009 | term_end2 = July 1, 2009 | predecessor2 = Mark Begich | successor2 = Dan Sullivan | office3 = Member of the Anchorage Assembly<br>from Seat D | term_start3 = April 2007 | term_end3 = April 2010 | predecessor3 = Pamela Jennings | successor3 = Ernie Hall | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1959}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | party = Democratic | spouse = Lisa Rieger | children = 2 | education = Colorado College (BA)<br>University of Texas, Austin (JD) }} '''Matthew W. Claman''' (born 1959)<ref>https://legistorm.com/person/bio/239748/Matthew_W_Claman.html</ref> is an American politician and attorney serving as a member of the Alaska Senate since 2023, representing West Anchorage. He previously served as a member of the Alaska House of Representatives from 2015 until 2023; the acting mayor of Anchorage in 2009 (after Mark Begich resigned to be a member of the United States Senate), and a member of the Anchorage Assembly from 2007 until 2010.
== Background == Claman grew up in Dallas. After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Colorado College in Colorado Springs. He moved to Alaska in 1980 and worked as a prep cook at a mining camp.<ref>{{Cite web|last=KTUU|title=House District 21 - Matt Claman|url=https://ktuu.com/content/misc/House-District-21-Matt-Claman-495121331.html|access-date=2020-06-23|website=ktuu.com|date=October 4, 2018 |language=english}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Our Campaigns - Candidate - Matt Claman|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=208163|access-date=2020-06-23|website=ourcampaigns.com}}</ref> He went to Austin and received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Texas School of Law. Then he began practicing law in Alaska.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Alaska State Legislature |url=https://akleg.gov/legislator.php?id=cla |access-date=2022-11-13 |website=akleg.gov}}</ref>
== Career == Claman is a trial and appellate attorney with Lane Powell, a regional law firm, and is past president of the Alaska Bar Association. Claman served on the Anchorage Assembly beginning in 2007 and became its chair in 2008. He became the acting mayor of Anchorage in 2009 when then-Mayor Mark Begich was elected Alaska's United States Senator in the 2008 general election.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.adn.com/2008/12/30/638489/claman-will-become-mayor-saturday.html |title=Claman will become mayor Saturday: Anchorage Assembly |date=2012-07-28 |newspaper=Anchorage Daily News |access-date=2017-02-03 |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611005544/http://www.adn.com/2008/12/30/638489/claman-will-become-mayor-saturday.html |archivedate=June 11, 2011 }}</ref> As acting mayor during the 2008 financial crisis, he led efforts to reduce the municipal budget by $20 million, approximately 5%, and negotiated concessions to achieve a balanced budget.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.adn.com/voices/article/our-view-claman/2009/06/30/|title=Our view: Claman|date=2009-06-30|newspaper=Alaska Dispatch News|language=en-US|access-date=2017-02-03}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> Claman ran for mayor in 2009 as the incumbent, but lost badly, coming in 5th place earning just 5.71% of the vote. <ref>https://adn.com/alaska-news/article/final-count-doesnt-change-election-results/2009/04/18/megan-holland/</ref>
Claman was elected to the Alaska House of Representatives in 2014, and joined the Democratic minority.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://juneauempire.com/local/2015-01-15/governor-juneau-delegation-greet-newcomers|title=Governor, Juneau delegation greet newcomers|language=en|access-date=2017-02-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150209110710/http://juneauempire.com/local/2015-01-15/governor-juneau-delegation-greet-newcomers|archive-date=February 9, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> During his first term, he sat on the Judiciary Committee, the Transportation Committee, and the Energy Committee. He says he hopes to fix Alaska's financial challenges.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.youralaskalink.com/news/representative-matt-claman-we-need-a-responsible-action-plan-for/article_2baef066-4326-11e6-9297-3325388a0053.html|title=Representative Matt Claman: "We Need A Responsible Action Plan For Alaska"|last=Athens|first=Maria|newspaper=Your Alaska Link|language=en|access-date=2017-02-03}}</ref> In 2016, he was re-elected to the State House and joined a 22-member Alaska House majority coalition of 17 Democrats, three Republicans, and two independents.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.adn.com/politics/2016/11/09/alaska-senate-will-remain-under-republican-control-for-the-next-two-years/|title=Alaska House will be run by coalition while Senate remains under Republican control|date=2016-11-10|newspaper=Alaska Dispatch News|language=en-US|access-date=2017-02-03}}</ref> His peers selected him to chair the House Judiciary Committee, where he previously served as a committee member. He is the vice chair of the Rules Committee and a member of the Legislative Council, Energy Committee, Transportation Committee, and Criminal Justice Commission. He introduced legislation to hold a statewide vote amending the Constitution of Alaska to limit the legislative session to 90 days.
In response to reports about incidents of inappropriate conduct between undercover police officials and alleged sex workers revealing a legal loophole (not only in Alaska but in all states) allowing police officers to engage in sex acts with prostitution suspects prior to their arrest, Claman introduced legislation (Alaska HB 112) prohibiting such conduct.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-08-17 |title=Sex Workers In Alaska Say Cops Are Abusing Their Power To Solicit Sex Acts |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/sex-workers-in-alaska-say-cops-are-abusing-their-power-to-solicit-sex_n_596e1d26e4b010d77673e488 |access-date=2023-03-23 |website=HuffPost |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Alaska State Legislature |url=https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Detail/30?Root=HB%20112 |access-date=2023-03-23 |website=www.akleg.gov}}</ref> In 2022, he was elected to the Alaska Senate in a race against Republican incumbent Mia Costello.<ref>{{cite web |title=Matt Claman |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Matt_Claman |website=Ballotpedia |access-date=26 July 2023 |language=en}}</ref>
On November 10, 2025 Claman announced his candidacy for the 2026 Alaska gubernatorial election.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rosen |first1=Yereth |title=Anchorage state senator enters crowded Alaska gubernatorial field |url=https://alaskabeacon.com/briefs/anchorage-state-senator-enters-crowded-alaska-gubernatorial-field/ |access-date=November 10, 2025 |work=Alaska Beacon |date=November 10, 2025}}</ref>
== Personal life == Claman and Lisa Rieger, who works for Cook Inlet Tribal Council are married. CITC is a large successful non-profit corporation. They have two children and Claman is a licensed EMT and professional wilderness guide.<ref name=":0" />
==Electoral history== {{Incomplete list|date=February 2025}}{{Election box begin no change | title = Nonpartisan primary }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | party = Democratic Party (United States) | candidate = Matt Claman (incumbent) | votes =4,036 | percentage =60.1 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Republican Party (United States) | candidate = Thomas McKay ''(withdrew)'' | votes =1,393 | percentage =20.7 }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | party = Republican Party (United States) | candidate = Liz Vazquez | votes =1,287 | percentage =19.2 }} {{Election box total no change | votes =6,716 | percentage = 100.0 }} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change | title = 2024 Alaska Senate General election }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | party = Democratic Party (United States) | candidate = Matt Claman (incumbent) | votes = 9,924 | percentage = 55.24 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Republican Party (United States) | candidate = Liz Vazquez | votes = 7,989 | percentage = 44.47 }} {{Election box write-in with party link no change | votes = 53 | percentage = 0.3 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 17,966 | percentage = 100.0 }} {{Election box hold with party link no change | winner = Democratic Party (United States) }} {{Election box hold no change | winner = Coalition | color = #ff95b3ff }} {{Election box end}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=Mark Begich}} {{s-ttl|title=Mayor of Anchorage<br>Acting|years=2009}} {{s-aft|after=Dan Sullivan}} {{s-end}}
{{Alaska State Senate}} {{Mayors of Anchorage}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Claman, Matt}} Category:1959 births Category:21st-century American lawyers Category:21st-century members of the Alaska Legislature Category:Alaska lawyers Category:Anchorage Assembly members Category:Colorado College alumni Category:Date of birth missing (living people) Category:Democratic Party members of the Alaska House of Representatives Category:Living people Category:Mayors of Anchorage, Alaska Category:Place of birth missing (living people) Category:University of Texas School of Law alumni