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]
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][3] He has lived in Fairbanks since 2006.[3]
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.[3]
- 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, a Libertarian from Fairbanks, makes top four for Alaska's U.S. House race · Alaska Beacon · 2026-09-01 News report
Researched from the cited sources on 2026-10-21.
