Stapp draws same-party challenge in East Fairbanks House district

Rep. Will Stapp, a Republican, faces a Republican challenger in House District 32.

The Alaska Division of Elections lists Stapp as the certified incumbent. It lists Seth Church, also a Republican, as pending. Certified candidates have completed all filing requirements. Pending candidates have filed but await final verification.

That sets up an internal Republican contest for East Fairbanks, Fort Wainwright and Badger voters.

Stapp won the seat in 2024 with 3,227 votes to Democrat Gary Damron's 1,548, a margin of 67.29% to 32.28%. Twenty-one voters wrote in other names.

The district covers Fairbanks precincts 4 and 5, Fort Wainwright and Badger precinct 2. Fort Wainwright is a U.S. Army installation and a major military presence in the Interior.

Stapp is a two-time Iraq War veteran and Purple Heart recipient who enlisted at Fort Wainwright in 2006.

Church has a blank campaign website and a June 1 Alaska Public Offices Commission filing that lists him as candidate, chair and treasurer for "Seth Church for State House."

Outside the campaign filing, Church is a University of Alaska regent and Fairbanks-area business owner.

Stapp's campaign site says he is running for reelection to continue work on Interior energy costs, fiscal responsibility, resource development, public safety, health care and education. The site lists the Permanent Fund among his priorities.

The filing tells voters the challenge is real enough to have a campaign committee. It does not say why Church is running.

Stapp holds the certified incumbent slot with a 2024 general-election margin of more than two-to-one. Church has filed as a pending Republican challenger with limited public campaign information available. The Division of Elections candidate list could change as pending filings are processed.