Anchorage bar owner Bernie Souphanavong submitted thousands of signatures today to run for Congress. Souphanavong is running as an independent for Alaska’s only seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. He gathered some of the signatures at his bar, Bernie’s Bungalow, in downtown Anchorage. If the Division of Elections validates his petition, Souphanavong will appear on the November ballot.
Alaska’s incumbent congressman, Republican Don Young, is trying to get on the General Election ballot by winning tomorrow’s Republican Primary. Young faces three other Republicans: Gerald Heikes, Jesse Tingley and Stephen Wright, all from the Mat-Su. Democrat Steve Lindbeck of Anchorage faces two other Democrats in tomorrow’s Primary: Lynette Moreno Hinz of Anchorage and Bill Hibler, of Fairbanks. Two Libertarians from Fairbanks are also running: Jim McDermott and Jon Watts. Among all the candidates running for U.S. House, only two have raised more than a token amount of campaign cash: Young and Lindbeck.