Eric Hafner, a registered Democrat serving time in a federal prison in New York, advanced from the primary for Alaska's lone US House seat. He is set to be released in 2036 and faces potential legal challenges due to residency requirements.
The advancement of an incarcerated individual in a US House primary raises significant questions about election integrity and eligibility requirements, potentially leading to legal battles and impacting the composition of Congress.
Eric Hafner, a registered Democrat currently serving a federal prison sentence in New York, has advanced from the primary election for Alaska's sole US House seat. Hafner, who is scheduled for release in 2036, secured a spot on the general election ballot despite a challenge from the Alaska Democratic party.
Hafner pleaded guilty in 2022 to charges of making threats against police officers, judges, and others. His advancement is likely to trigger another legal challenge, as the US Constitution requires candidates to reside in the state they represent at the time of the election. In his candidate filings, Hafner listed a mailing address in Box Elder, South Dakota, and a New York phone number, both associated with his mother, Carol Hafner. Neither has apparent ties to Alaska.
Carol Hafner, who previously ran for office and is also a failed prior candidate, competed in this year's state US Senate primary. In Alaska's election system, the top four primary finishers advance to the general election regardless of party affiliation. With 93% of ballots counted, Hafner had received 5,757 votes, placing him behind the third-place candidate, Democrat Matt Schultz. However, Schultz had withdrawn from the general election and was ineligible to advance.
The leading candidates in the race for the US House seat are the incumbent Republican Nick Begich and independent Bill Hill, a commercial fisher and retired educator. It remained too early to determine the fourth-place finisher.