Randy Purham

Randy Purham (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Alaska's At-Large Congressional District. He lost in the primary on August 16, 2022.

Purham completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2021. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Randy Purham was born in Chicago, Illinois. He served in the United States Army from 1998 to 2020. Purham received his associate degree from Central Texas College in 2012 and his bachelor's degree from American Military University in 2015. He has been affiliated with Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, the Association of the United States Army, and Pi Gamma Mu - West Virginia Iota Chapter.^[1]

Elections

2022

General election

General election for U.S. House Alaska At-large District

Select round:

The ranked-choice voting election was won by Mary Peltola in round 3 . The results of Round are displayed below. To see the results of other rounds, use the dropdown menu above to select a round and the table will update.

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 264,589
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Sherry Strizak (Independent)
Tara Sweeney (R)

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House Alaska At-large District

The following candidates ran in the primary for U.S. House Alaska At-large District on August 16, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Mary Peltola (D)	36.8	70,295
✔		Sarah Palin (R)	30.2	57,693
✔		Nicholas Begich (R)	26.2	50,021
✔		Tara Sweeney (R)	3.8	7,195
		Chris Bye (L)	0.6	1,189
		J.R. Myers (L)	0.3	531
		Robert Lyons (R)	0.2	447
	Submit photo	Jay Armstrong (R)	0.2	403
	Submit photo	Brad Snowden (R)	0.2	355
		Randy Purham (R)	0.2	311
		Lady Donna Dutchess (Independent)	0.1	270
	Submit photo	Sherry Strizak (Independent)	0.1	252
		Robert Ornelas (American Independent Party)	0.1	248
	Submit photo	Denise Williams (R)	0.1	242
		Gregg Brelsford (Independent)	0.1	241
	Submit photo	David Hughes (Independent)	0.1	238
	Submit photo	Andrew Phelps (Independent)	0.1	222
	Submit photo	Tremayne Wilson (Independent)	0.1	194
	Submit photo	Sherry Mettler (Independent)	0.1	191
	Submit photo	Silvio Pellegrini (Independent)	0.1	187
	Submit photo	Ted Heintz (Independent)	0.1	173
	Submit photo	Davis LeBlanc Jr. (R)	0.1	117

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 191,015
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

Randy Purham completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2021. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Purham's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Randy Purham was born and raised in Chicago, IL in 1980. He graduated from Hillcrest High School in 1998 and then graduated from Central Texas College in 2012 with an Associate’s in General Studies. He has a Bachelor's in Business Administration from American Military University and is currently a Political Science Grad student. He enlisted into the US Army in June 1998 and completed Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training at Fort McClellan, AL as a Chemical Operations Specialist (74D). He has completed 5 campaigns in 3 tours to Iraq and 1 to Kuwait in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. In 2013 he published his first book, “The NEW You: Now Equipped with Wisdom,” to help people that are seeking guidance in personal and professional development. He is currently an Internet TV Host of The NEW w/Randy and April for The Exceptional Conservative Network (TECNTV.com). Randy retired from the US Army in 2020, Randy plans to pursue politics as a US Representative for the state of Alaska. Randy is married to April Smith-Purham and they have a blended family of six children.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

I have a strong passion in helping people and as a humble servant, one of my passions has been to serve in government for the people and do the work that needs to get done to carry our nation forward. That is why I believe "Together Everyone Achieves More (TEAM)" and "Working Together To Be Better." are key foundational principles to help achieve many great things.
As I have traveled around the world and lived in many places; I have always carried an ambition to serve in our nations capitol. People have asked me over the years, why Alaska? In 2013, after a year of living there, the choice was simple. I fell in love with the state, the people, and I have some of the greatest times in my life serving there. I kept my residency and affiliation with Alaska because that is where my heart is and where I want to be.
I understand that serving in public life comes with sacrifices, trust, and commitment. My nearly three decades of public service in the military and in the civilian sector congruently is indicative of that. I want to continue to be able to bring valuable tools and skillsets to any table I sit at and advance the causes and advocate for those who need help in getting their voices heard. I am the person that Alaskans can look to as the person the people can proudly call their Representative, their Friend, and a defender of "The Last Frontier ".

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

When I took the oath to support and defend the constitution of the United States both foreign and domestic, I didn't say it to qualify to receive a paycheck. I said it because I have the best interest of the American people in heart and mind and in keeping with the visions of not only the nation's founding fathers, but my own ancestors in that; advancing the causes and interests that will put Americans first, Alaskans first, and those without a voice first. My biggest areas of public policy resides in the domain of: Education, Social stability, Economic growth, Domestic security, and Foreign relations/security/affairs.

Bringing civility, bipartisanship, and prudence back to the chambers of Congress is another main goal of mine. Congruently stomping out extremist ideologies that tear down the fabrics of civil discourse, discussion, and debate to in order to gain common ground to achieve the American greater good.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I take a chapter out of Napoleon Hill's "Think and Grow Rich". I have an "Invisible Cabinet" and a few of the figures I most largely personally revere are Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington, my Father, Grandfather (Maternal), and my 2nd cousin Earnest. I learned a lot from all of these men throughout my life. From not being a victim because something unfavorably happened through being a man and taking responsibility for your decisions, actions, and consequences. I really can't elaborate or put it any different than that. You study the first two mentioned, the rest falls in place.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Of recent collection in the last couple of years.

"72: Unbought and Unbossed" (Amazon Prime Movie)
"Drain the Swamp: Why Washington is More Corrupt Than You Think" - Ken Buck
"Leaders Eat Last" - Simon Sinek

"The Seven Mountain Prophecy" - Johnny Enlow

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Prudent. Pragmatic. Understanding. Curt. Concise. Straight to the point. Not self-serving.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

In short. Prudent and pragmatic leadership. No nonsense.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Serve the people that elected them. Finding the common ground and understanding to effectively legislate on behalf of the interest of their constituents.

What legacy would you like to leave?

To be be the stepping stone to the idea that you can do a bit of work for a bit of time and pass it on to the next person to complete some more and they too pass it on.

What is your favorite book? Why?

"Capitol Men: The Epic Story of Reconstruction Through The Lives of the First Black Congressmen" by Philip Dray. My favorite because it gives esquite detail to the triumphs and tribulations of the first black men elected to Congress in which many of them were also newly freed from slavery. It also details stories surrounding the Reconstruction Era, which I thoroughly enjoy learning about.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Superman.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

"Bluey" cartoon my grandson loves....

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Not trying to do everything by myself.

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

The ability to find common ground and understanding between various perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences. Having the ability to infuse that into a common ground that everyone can be happy with is a challenge for any leader in any size organization. To even try it, takes a special kind of leader.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

No. Not at all. They should have experience in life and understanding the value of learning from yourself and others in the process of growing and shaping yourself into who you are destined to become.

What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Bridging the gap of social differences that have been perpetuated by false narratives of social media and mainstream media painting pictures of these societal issues that much smaller than what they actually are.

If you are not a current representative, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

Veterans Affairs, Ways and Means, and Oversight.

If you are a current representative, why did you join your current committees?

N/A

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

No. I am a supporter and advocate for term limits. With the current political structure in our government, an effective Representative needs a solid 3 terms (6-yrs) - however you want to slice it up - to effectively achieve anything worthwhile to pass on to the next successor.

Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

I have admired the history behind Robert Smalls and Robert B. Elliot. More recent times, no.

Both sitting representatives and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

While serving in the military and as a member of the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce as an Ambassador, and the Junior Vice Commander of the local VFW there, I had the distinct pleasure of talking and meeting with people from all walks of life there; publicly and privately. The stories that stuck to me and struck me most was that of the Native Veterans and those in the minority communities. Collectively, they have a common theme among them and that is that they are often treated or looked upon as though they do not belong. Alaska is unique in a sense that although people are somewhat separated and segregated, there is a sense of unity. But there are those in even more unique communities that feel left out for various reasons. I would like to try to affect change in that domain.

Tell us your favorite joke.

Knock, knock.... LOL.

The Constitution says that all bills for raising revenue must originate in the House. What role would this power play in your priorities if elected?

I am a constitutional conservative. I will support bills and legislative efforts for the common good of the people and not for just frivolous spending. Reducing deficits and cutting taxes is highly important to me.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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Candidate

U.S. House Alaska At-large District

Personal

Footnotes

↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on April 3, 2021

[show]

Alaska's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Lisa Murkowski (R)

Daniel Sullivan (R)

Representatives

Nicholas Begich (R)

Republican Party (3)

[bio-1] Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on April 3, 2021

[1]

	Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
	Mary Peltola	55.0	137,263	7,477	Won (3)
	Sarah Palin	45.0	112,471	43,072	3
	Nicholas Begich	0.0	0	-64,499	3
	Chris Bye	0.0	0	0	2
	David Ambrose (Write-in)	0.0	0	0	1
Submit photo	Jay Armstrong (Write-in)	0.0	0	0	1
Submit photo	Joe Bredar (Write-in)	0.0	0	0	1
	Lady Donna Dutchess (Write-in)	0.0	0	0	1
Submit photo	Sherry Mettler (Write-in)	0.0	0	0	1
	Robert Ornelas (Write-in)	0.0	0	0	1
Submit photo	Brad Snowden (Write-in)	0.0	0	0	1
Submit photo	Ernest Thomas (Write-in)	0.0	0	0	1

	Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
	Mary Peltola	49.2	129,786	1,031	Won (3)
	Sarah Palin	26.3	69,399	1,069	3
	Nicholas Begich	24.5	64,499	1,994	3
	Chris Bye	0.0	0	-4,999	2
	David Ambrose (Write-in)	0.0	0	0	1
Submit photo	Jay Armstrong (Write-in)	0.0	0	0	1
Submit photo	Joe Bredar (Write-in)	0.0	0	0	1
	Lady Donna Dutchess (Write-in)	0.0	0	0	1
Submit photo	Sherry Mettler (Write-in)	0.0	0	0	1
	Robert Ornelas (Write-in)	0.0	0	0	1
Submit photo	Brad Snowden (Write-in)	0.0	0	0	1
Submit photo	Ernest Thomas (Write-in)	0.0	0	0	1

	Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
	Mary Peltola	48.7	128,755	0	Won (3)
	Sarah Palin	25.8	68,330	0	3
	Nicholas Begich	23.6	62,505	0	3
	Chris Bye	1.9	4,999	0	2
	David Ambrose (Write-in)	0.0	0	0	1
Submit photo	Jay Armstrong (Write-in)	0.0	0	0	1
Submit photo	Joe Bredar (Write-in)	0.0	0	0	1
	Lady Donna Dutchess (Write-in)	0.0	0	0	1
Submit photo	Sherry Mettler (Write-in)	0.0	0	0	1
	Robert Ornelas (Write-in)	0.0	0	0	1
Submit photo	Brad Snowden (Write-in)	0.0	0	0	1
Submit photo	Ernest Thomas (Write-in)	0.0	0	0	1

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Randy Purham

Contents

Biography

Elections

2022

General election

General election for U.S. House Alaska At-large District

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House Alaska At-large District

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also

External links

Footnotes

Information about voting

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2026 Elections

2024 Election analysis

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