Biography
Bill Hill is a nonpartisan candidate for Alaska's at-large U.S. House seat who finished second in the August 2026 top-four primary and faces Republican incumbent Nick Begich. A Dena'ina Athabascan raised in Kokhanok and now living in Naknek, he is a Bristol Bay commercial fisherman and retired educator. He is running on affordability, a ban on congressional stock trading, and fisheries issues, and has not said which caucus he would join.[1][2][3][4]
Hill is Dena'ina Athabascan and was raised in Kokhanok, a village of just over 100 people on Lake Iliamna, before moving to Naknek in high school, according to KDLG and KFSK. In his Ballotpedia survey he describes growing up in a small village in rural Alaska, hunting, fishing and raising sled dog teams.[2][4][5] He graduated from the University of Alaska and has lived in Fairbanks and Juneau, according to KDLG.[4]
Hill spent 25 years in education, as both of his parents did, working as a teacher, a principal and a superintendent. He taught in Naknek and Juneau, worked as an administrator in the Lake and Peninsula School District and led the Bristol Bay district, and he also worked in construction and ran a small business, according to Alaska Public Media.[3][5] He served as superintendent of both the Lake and Peninsula School District and the Bristol Bay Borough School District, and was named Alaska Superintendent of the Year in 2023 before retiring from education, according to KDLG.[4] Hill describes himself as a lifelong fisherman and a commercial fisherman in Bristol Bay, and with his wife, Diane, he runs Bristol Bay Brailer, a company that makes brailers for the commercial fishing industry.[2][3][5]
Hill announced his candidacy in January 2026 as an independent and says he has always been an unaffiliated voter. A day after launching, his campaign said it had raised $200,000, and Alaska House Speaker Bryce Edgmon endorsed him.[3][4] He finished second in the August 18, 2026 primary with 32.5% of the vote.[1] Hill lives in Naknek with his wife and describes himself as a father of four and grandfather of seven.[2]
- 1.United States House of Representatives election in Alaska, 2026 · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
- 2.Bill Hill - Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey · Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey · 2026-09-25 Candidate's own words
- 3.Bristol Bay fisherman and retired educator Bill Hill enters U.S. House race (Alaska Public Media) · Alaska Public Media · 2026-01-22 News report
- 4.Naknek Resident Bill Hill brings campaign for U.S House to home region after statewide launch last week (KDLG) · KDLG · 2026-01-28 News report
- 5.Independent U.S. House candidate Bill Hill talks corruption, cost of living during Petersburg visit · KFSK · 2026-08-10 News report
Researched from the cited sources on 2026-10-21.
