Incumbent Neal Foster is running against Chalkyitsik’s Woodie Salmon in a democratic primary this August to determine who will represent the newly-expanded House District 39. Foster, born and raised in Nome, has been district 39’s representative since 2009, but the state’s redistricting has significantly changed the size of that district: it now spans from the Canadian border all the way to the Bering Sea.
Foster says the two main issues affecting district 39, and rural residents across the state, are funding and energy. He believes the solution to both issues lies in the development of Alaska’s natural resources.
