Incarcerated Democrat Eric Hafner advances in Alaska House primary
Eric Hafner, a Democrat serving a federal prison sentence in New York, advanced from Alaska's primary for the state's lone US House seat. He also ran in 2024 and secured a general election spot. His candidacy may face legal challenges because he does not reside in Alaska.
Hafner's 2024 campaign also reached the general election ballot despite a challenge from the Alaska Democratic Party. He pleaded guilty in 2022 to threatening police officers, judges, and others, with a release date of 2036.
His candidate filing lists a South Dakota mailing address and New York phone number shared with his mother, Carol Hafner, who also ran in this year's Senate primary. Alaska's top-four primary system allowed Hafner to advance after third-place finisher Matt Schultz withdrew from the general election.
Hafner's advancement could test constitutional residency requirements for federal office, potentially prompting legal challenges that may clarify how Alaska's top-four system interacts with candidate eligibility. Voters who supported him may see their choice nullified if courts intervene, while the broader race could be affected by uncertainty over who actually appears on the November ballot.