U.S. House · Alaska At-Large
Jim McDermott
CandidateLIB
- Race
- U.S. House · Alaska At-Large
- Result
- Not yet called
- Opponents
- Nicholas Begich (R); Bill Hill (Nonpartisan); Eric Hafner (D)
- Research
- Basic
Party linenone
No recorded floor votes — not a current legislator in our records.
Said vs. did2 statements · 0 votes
No international tariffs, no trade barriers, no federal schemes that make Alaskans pay more for the things they need.
Broad tariffs on imported goods
Compare statements with votes ›On the ballotU.S. House · AL
2026-11-03
| Nicholas Begich R | incumbent |
| Bill Hill Nonpartisan | challenger |
| Eric Hafner D | challenger |
| Jim McDermott LIB | challenger |
Said vs. did
Each documented position next to the recorded floor votes we map to the same issue. Votes are compared one at a time; no overall stance is inferred from them.
No international tariffs, no trade barriers, no federal schemes that make Alaskans pay more for the things they need.
Campaign website says tariffs are paid by American businesses and consumers and calls for no international tariffs or trade barriers.[3]
No recorded floor vote in our key-vote set maps to this issue.
He does not support open-ended military commitments made without Congressional authorization. The War Powers Resolution exists for a reason.
Campaign website says he does not support open-ended military commitments made without Congressional authorization.[3]
No recorded floor vote in our key-vote set maps to this issue.
Biography
Jim McDermott is the Libertarian nominee for Alaska's at-large U.S. House seat. A 22-year U.S. Air Force veteran and business instructor at the University of Alaska, he ran for the seat as a Libertarian in 2012, 2014 and 2016. He finished eighth in the August 2026 primary and joined the general-election ballot after a higher-finishing candidate withdrew.[1][2]
Basic profile — the most important sourced facts we found.
McDermott holds a B.S. in occupational education from Wayland Baptist University and an M.S. in business organizational management from the University of La Verne. He served 22 years in the U.S. Air Force, as a noncommissioned officer, and works as a business instructor for the University of Alaska.[2][4] He has lived in Fairbanks since 2006.[4]
McDermott first ran as the Libertarian candidate for Alaska's at-large U.S. House seat in 2012, losing to Rep. Don Young. In 2014 he won the Libertarian nomination unopposed and received 7.6% of the vote (21,290 votes) in the general election, finishing third behind Young and Forrest Dunbar. He ran again in 2016 and again lost to Young.[2] In 2026 he took 1.2% of the vote in the August primary and replaced Democrat John Brendan Williams on the general-election ballot after Williams withdrew.[1][2] His 2026 general-election appearance is his fourth for the seat.[4]
In their own words
Priorities
- Term limits: says career politicians surrounded by other career politicians stop thinking clearly about what ordinary Americans need, and that he would not seek a third term.[3]
- Fiscal accountability: supports zero-based budgeting and balanced budget requirements at the federal level.[3]
- Civil liberties: says the Patriot Act and the NDAA drove him out of the Republican Party and that they should be repealed or fundamentally reformed.[3]
Statements, quoted without a stance
- Expand immigration enforcement and deportations
“He opposes treating immigration as primarily a law enforcement issue when the underlying cause is an immigration system that does not function.”[3]
On his campaign website
Campaign moneyNo FEC filing summary matched — state candidates file with their state, not the FEC.
Profile: /people/jim-mcdermott
Compare all 4 candidates side by side ›
Sources cited in this profile
- 1.United States House of Representatives election in Alaska, 2026 · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
- 2.Jim McDermott (Alaska) · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
- 3.Jim McDermott on the Issues · Jim McDermott for U.S. House campaign website · 2026-10-19 Candidate's own words
- 4.Jim McDermott, a Libertarian from Fairbanks, makes top four for Alaska's U.S. House race · Alaska Beacon · 2026-09-01 News report