Sen. Sullivan has his first challenger: a Bernie supporter

SULLIVAN IS RAISING A FORMIDABLE CAMPAIGN ACCOUNT

Wildfire technician and Democrat-turned-Undeclared candidate David Paul Matheny has filed for U.S. Senate for Alaska, the first to challenge Sen. Dan Sullivan in his first bid for reelection.

Sullivan was elected in 2014, winning the seat from former Sen. Mark Begich.

In fundraising for the next election cycle, Sullivan has made the top 20 senators in terms of his campaign treasury, with over $2.7 million raised.

For comparison, Sen. Thom Tillis, (R-NC) who is at Number 11, has raised $4.6 million, and Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) has raised $7.9 million, putting him at the Number 2 spot behind New Jersey Democrat Sen. Cory Booker.

The entire list of U.S> Senate candidates and their current campaign war chests can be viewed here.

Matheny has raised no money, but then he just registered with the Federal Elections Commission on April 30. He lists his address in Fairbanks and lists his party as “Independent.”  While there is no “Independent” party in Alaska, he is registered as an “Undeclared” voter. His Senate committee is called Alaskans to Elect Dave Matheny.

Matheny is employed by the State Department of Natural Resources as a Wildland Fire and Resource Technician III out of Delta Junction. He lists himself as a union chapter president for ASEA. In 2016 he was a activist and volunteer for Bernie Sanders for president, caucused for Sanders as a Democrat, and went to Philadelphia to protest the Democratic National Convention choice of Hillary Clinton.

The General Election is Nov. 3, 2020.