Current:Home > FinanceBenjamin Ashford|Man serving 20-year sentence in New York makes it on the ballot for Alaska’s lone U.S. House seat -TrueNorth Capital Hub
Benjamin Ashford|Man serving 20-year sentence in New York makes it on the ballot for Alaska’s lone U.S. House seat
Charles H. Sloan View
Date:2025-04-10 14:07:27
JUNEAU,Benjamin Ashford Alaska (AP) — A man serving time on a 20-year prison sentence for threatening officials in New Jersey has made it onto Alaska’s general election ballot for the state’s lone U.S. House seat this November.
Eric Hafner was convicted in 2022 of threatening to kill judges, police officers and others and sentenced to serve 20 years in federal prison. He originally came in sixth in Alaska’s ranked choice primary, which allows only the top four vote-getters to advance to the general election.
But Republican Matthew Salisbury withdrew from the race just ahead of Monday’s deadline, and Republican Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom withdrew last month.
That means Hafner will appear on the November general election ballot along with Alaskan Independence Party chairman John Wayne Howe and frontrunners Democratic U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola and Republican Nick Begich.
Peltola finished with the most votes in a field of 12 in the Aug. 20 primary, followed by Begich and Dahlstrom, who was backed by former President Donald Trump. Far behind them were Salisbury and Howe, who combined received just over 1% of the vote and led the remaining candidates. Hafner received just 0.43% of the vote.
There are no state laws prohibiting felons from running for election in Alaska, which means both Hafner and Trump will have a place on the ballot.
But state law does require an elected U.S. representative to reside in the state. Hafner has no apparent ties to Alaska and is serving time at a federal prison in Otisville, New York, according to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, with a release date set for Oct. 12, 2036. There are no federal prisons in Alaska, so even if the long-shot candidate was elected, he would be unlikely to meet the residency requirement.
This isn’t Hafner’s first attempt to win a congressional seat. He has unsuccessfully ran for office in Hawaii and Oregon, and he’s filed a flurry of failed federal lawsuits in recent years claiming to be a candidate for congressional races in New Mexico, Nevada, Vermont and other states.
veryGood! (8856)
Related
- Bodycam footage shows high
- Wisconsin health officials recall eggs after a multistate salmonella outbreak
- Watch as time-lapse video captures solar arrays reflecting auroras, city lights from space
- Taylor Swift and Brittany Mahomes Debunk Feud Rumors With U.S. Open Double Date
- 'As foretold in the prophecy': Elon Musk and internet react as Tesla stock hits $420 all
- Unstoppable Director Details Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez's Dynamic on Their New Movie
- Go inside Kona Stories, a Hawaiian bookstore with an ocean view and three cats
- ‘The Bear’ and ‘Shogun’ could start claiming trophies early at Creative Arts Emmy Awards
- New Zealand official reverses visa refusal for US conservative influencer Candace Owens
- Evacuations ordered as wildfire burns in foothills of national forest east of LA
Ranking
- Finally, good retirement news! Southwest pilots' plan is a bright spot, experts say
- Colorado vs. Nebraska score: Highlights from Cornhuskers football win over Buffaloes today
- Parrots and turtles often outlive their owners. Then what happens?
- Kendrick Lamar will headline 2025 Super Bowl halftime show in New Orleans
- Grammy nominee Teddy Swims on love, growth and embracing change
- Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Arrive at NYC Dinner in Style After Chiefs Win
- Mega Millions jackpot soars to an estimated $800 million
- Caitlin Clark on Angel Reese's season-ending wrist injury: 'It's definitely devastating'
Recommendation
Realtor group picks top 10 housing hot spots for 2025: Did your city make the list?
Tropical system set to drench parts of Gulf Coast, could strengthen, forecasters say
In their tennis era, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce cheer at U.S. Open final
Tom Brady's NFL broadcasting career is finally starting. What should fans expect?
Have Dry, Sensitive Skin? You Need To Add These Gentle Skincare Products to Your Routine
2 young sisters apparently drowned in a Long Island pond, police say
Which NFL teams have new head coaches? Meet the 8 coaches making debuts in 2024.
The Best Target Products To Help Disguise Scuffs, Wires & All Your Least Favorite Parts of Your Home