Incarcerated Eric Hafner Advances to Alaska House General Election

An incarcerated Democrat, Eric Hafner, advanced to the general election for Alaska's lone U.S. House seat on Wednesday. Hafner is currently serving a federal prison sentence in New York after pleading guilty in 2022 to making threats against police officers and judges. He is not scheduled for release until 2036.

Hafner secured his spot on the ballot after third-place finisher Matt Schultz withdrew and became ineligible. His candidacy is expected to face legal challenges because he lacks apparent ties to Alaska, listing a mailing address in South Dakota and a phone number in New York. This appears to violate the U.S. Constitutional requirement that candidates reside in the state they seek to represent.

The race for the seat includes Republican incumbent Nick Begich and independent candidate Bill Hill. The Alaska Democratic Party previously challenged Hafner's presence on the general election ballot in 2024.