Eric Hafner (D) – AK-AL House 2026

About

Eric Hafner is a Democratic candidate for Alaska's at-large U.S. House seat who is incarcerated in federal prison in New York while serving a 20-year sentence for threatening government officials and making bomb threats. A perennial candidate who previously ran for House seats in Hawaii (2016), Oregon (2018), and Alaska (2024), he finished fourth in the Aug. 18, 2026 top-four primary with 3.8% of the vote and advanced to the Nov. 3 general-election ballot after higher-finishing candidates withdrew.

Biography sources 10

Positions on Key Issues

Positions of Eric Hafner on key issues
Issue	Stance	Sources
Healthcare	Eric Hafner lists Medicare for All among his policy priorities in the Alaska Beacon's 2026 Alaska U.S. House voter guide. The guide does not provide further details about his proposed healthcare plan or position on private insurance, Medicaid, or Medicare beyond that reference.	Alaska Congress U.S. House \| Voter Guide: 2026
Climate/Energy	In his Alaska Division of Elections candidate statement, Hafner called the environmental crisis urgent, said Alaska’s universities and Indigenous communities have led awareness of it, and described the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) as precious and not to be exploited for short-term gain. The statement does not address specific energy or climate legislation.	Eric Hafner, Registered Democrat — Alaska Division of Elections Candidate Statement Alaska Congress U.S. House \| Voter Guide: 2026 Voter Guide Eric Hafner - Ballotpedia
Abortion & Reproductive Health	In the 2026 Alaska Beacon voter guide questionnaire for the Alaska at-large U.S. House race, Hafner identified “defending abortion access and women’s health rights” as one of his policy priorities. The response does not provide further details on specific federal legislation or limits.	Alaska Congress U.S. House \| 2026 Voter Guide
Immigration	Hafner's 2026 Alaska House voter-guide response lists abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) among his policy priorities. The response does not, in the available source, provide additional detail on broader immigration policy such as border enforcement or legalization.	Alaska Congress U.S. House \| 2026 Voter Guide
Foreign Policy	In the Alaska Beacon's 2026 U.S. House voter-guide questionnaire, Hafner listed “Support for Palestine” and ending aid to Israel, while characterizing Israel's conduct as genocide and war crimes, among his policy priorities. The response does not provide additional detail on other foreign-policy issues.	Alaska Congress U.S. House \| Voter Guide: 2026 Voter Guide
Civil Rights & Equality	In Alaska Beacon's 2026 U.S. House voter guide, Hafner listed defending abortion access and women's health rights and addressing Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women among his policy priorities. The response does not provide a more comprehensive position on civil-rights and equality issues.	Alaska Congress U.S. House \| Voter Guide: 2026 Voter Guide
Education	Hafner supports broad access to education, including public K-12 education and higher education. In his Alaska Division of Elections candidate statement, he endorsed “EducationForAll” and “Higher EducationForAll,” advocated teaching history and confronting disputed or omitted perspectives—including Indigenous rights, Black history, and the reasons for U.S. wars—and said teachers and talented Americans are needed to move the country forward.	Eric Hafner, Registered Democrat — Alaska Division of Elections
Local Issues	In the Alaska Beacon 2026 voter-guide questionnaire, Hafner identified Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women as one of his public-policy priorities. The same response listed Medicare for All, free college, abolishing ICE, abortion access and women’s health rights, and ending U.S. aid to Israel; the guide does not provide additional Alaska-specific local-policy detail from him.	Alaska Congress U.S. House \| Voter Guide: 2026 Voter Guide

Review an issue

Healthcare

Eric Hafner lists Medicare for All among his policy priorities in the Alaska Beacon's 2026 Alaska U.S. House voter guide. The guide does not provide further details about his proposed healthcare plan or position on private insurance, Medicaid, or Medicare beyond that reference.

Sources:

Alaska Congress U.S. House | Voter Guide: 2026

Choose another issue above to review the remaining researched positions.

No public position found: Economy, Firearms & Second Amendment, Tech & AI, Election Policy

Background

Career History

Republican primary candidate, U.S. House 2016 – 2016

Hawaii's 2nd Congressional District

Ran in the Republican primary for Hawaii's 2nd Congressional District; finished second with ~44% of the primary vote.

Democratic primary candidate, U.S. House 2018 – 2018

Oregon's 3rd Congressional District

Ran in the Democratic primary for Oregon's 3rd Congressional District while a New Jersey resident; finished fourth with 1.5% of the vote.

Democratic candidate, U.S. House 2024 – 2024

Alaska at-large Congressional District

Ran from federal prison; placed sixth in the open primary (0.43%) but advanced to the general-election ballot after higher finishers withdrew.

Democratic candidate, U.S. House 2025 – 2026

Alaska at-large Congressional District

Ran in the 2026 Alaska U.S. House race, finishing fourth in the Aug. 18 primary with 3.8% and advancing to the Nov. 3 general-election ballot.

Education

Denver College Self-reported criminal justice studies in Criminal Justice

City College of San Francisco Self-reported interdisciplinary studies in Ethnic, women's and Pacific Island studies

Top Donors

No campaign finance data found in public FEC disclosures for 2025-26; his FEC page (H4AK00164) shows no reportable activity for the cycle. He is a federal prisoner in New York serving a 20-year sentence (release 2036) and received 3.8% (6,161 votes) in the Aug. 18 primary, securing the third ballot spot after Matt Schultz withdrew.

Sources

ERIC, HAFNER - Candidate overview | FEC Alaska 2026 General Election - The Green Papers Shadowy group boosts Hafner - Anchorage Daily News

Voting Record

No public legislative voting record and no prior elected office. A registered Democrat in federal prison serving a 20-year sentence for making threats against police, judges, and others; he ran in 2024 and a state court ruled he can remain a candidate despite being unable to serve. His mother Carol Hafner ran for the same seat in 2018.

Sources

View full voting record Federal prisoner advances - ABC News Hafner moves to 3rd spot - Alaska Beacon

About this research

Data compiled from public sources and analyzed using AI. Last updated October 9, 2026. Visit candidate websites for the most current information.