Eric Hafner, a registered Democrat serving time in a federal prison in New York and scheduled for release in 2036, advanced from the primary election for Alaska’s lone US House seat on Wednesday, August 26, 2026. Hafner also ran for the same seat in 2024 and secured a place on that year’s 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. In his candidate filing with the state, he listed a Box Elder, South Dakota mailing address and a New York phone number, both of which are the same as those of his mother, Carol Hafner. Carol Hafner is also a political candidate who ran in Alaska’s US Senate primary this year but was unsuccessful.

Under Alaska’s election system, the top four primary finishers advance to the general election regardless of party affiliation. Hafner received 5,757 votes after 93% of ballots were counted, placing behind third-place candidate Democrat Matt Schultz.

The leading candidates in the race include incumbent Republican Nick Begich and independent Bill Hill, a commercial fisher and retired educator. Hafner’s advancement is expected to prompt another legal challenge, as the US Constitution requires candidates to reside in the state they seek to represent at the time of the election.

Sources