Can Urban Dems Best Bob In Bethel Battle?

;

House District 38 (Bethel-Lower Kuskokwim)

Democratic Primary

;

Four-term incumbent Rep. Bob Herron looks to be in a real fight to return for a fifth. He faces challenger Zach Fansler.

Herron has angered the Democratic establishment by caucusing with the Republican majority and acting in many ways like a Republican. That includes endorsing Sen. Dan Sullivan in his run to beat Democrat Sen. Mark Begich.

As a result, it seems like every high-profile Democrat in the state not related to Herron has come out strong for his challenger. In a district where campaign cash can be hard to come by, Fansler has raised a healthy $40K including money from the Alaska Democratic Party, labor unions, Mark Begich and his sphere of acolytes, and a host of elected democrats from around the state.

Herron had to self-fund his entire campaign to the tune of $15K out of the gate. Since then he has received $8,200 in fundraising, $3,200 of which came from GCI’s employee PAC (Citizens for Competition) and GCI executives as well as $1,500 from other business PACs.

While Fansler has almost unanimity from Democratic and union supporters around the state behind him, Herron retains the support of his brother-in-law and Southwest Alaska political institution Sen. Lyman Hoffman.

This race really boils down to who has more stroke in this area of rural Alaska, the statewide Democratic establishment or Herron and Hoffman.

Democratic Primary Rating: Toss-Up