Santa Claus

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Santa Claus

Independent

Elections and appointments

Last election

June 11, 2022

Education

Bachelor's

New York University, 1971

Graduate

New York University, 1981

Other

The New Seminary, 1998

Personal

Birthplace

District of Columbia

Religion

Celtic/Anglican Monk

Profession

Councilman and mayor pro tempore of the City of North Pole, Alaska

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Twitter

Campaign YouTube

Personal website

Santa Claus (independent) ran in a special election to the U.S. House to represent Alaska's At-Large Congressional District. He lost in the special primary on June 11, 2022.

Claus completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Santa Claus was born in the District of Columbia. He earned a bachelor's degree in 1971 and a graduate degree in 1981, both from New York University. He attended The New Seminary in 1998. His career experience includes working as a councilman and mayor pro tempore for the city of North Pole, Alaska.

Elections

2022

See also: United States House of Representatives special election in Alaska, 2022

United States House of Representatives special election in Alaska, 2022 (June 11 top-four primary)

General election

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

Select round: Round 2 Round 1

The ranked-choice voting election was won by Mary Peltola in round 2 . 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.

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
		Mary Peltola	51.5	91,266	15,467	Won (2)
		Sarah Palin	48.5	86,026	27,053	2
		Nicholas Begich	0.0	0	-53,810	1
		Chris Bye (Write-in)	0.0	0	0	1
		Lady Donna Dutchess (Write-in)	0.0	0	0	1
		Robert Ornelas (Write-in)	0.0	0	0	1
	Submit photo	Sherry Strizak (Write-in)	0.0	0	0	1
		Tara Sweeney (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	40.2	75,799	0	Won (2)
		Sarah Palin	31.3	58,973	0	2
		Nicholas Begich	28.5	53,810	0	1
		Chris Bye (Write-in)	0.0	0	0	1
		Lady Donna Dutchess (Write-in)	0.0	0	0	1
		Robert Ornelas (Write-in)	0.0	0	0	1
	Submit photo	Sherry Strizak (Write-in)	0.0	0	0	1
		Tara Sweeney (Write-in)	0.0	0	0	1
	Submit photo	Ernest Thomas (Write-in)	0.0	0	0	1

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 188,582
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Al Gross (Independent)

Nonpartisan primary election

Special nonpartisan primary for U.S. House Alaska At-large District

The following candidates ran in the special primary for U.S. House Alaska At-large District on June 11, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Sarah Palin (R)	27.0	43,601
✔		Nicholas Begich (R)	19.1	30,861
✔		Al Gross (Independent)	12.6	20,392
✔		Mary Peltola (D)	10.1	16,265
		Tara Sweeney (R)	5.9	9,560
		Santa Claus (Independent)	4.7	7,625
		Christopher Constant (D)	3.9	6,224
		Jeff Lowenfels (Independent)	3.7	5,994
		John B. Coghill (R)	2.4	3,842
		Josh Revak (R)	2.3	3,785
	Submit photo	Andrew Halcro (Independent)	1.9	3,013
		Adam Wool (D)	1.7	2,730
	Submit photo	Emil Notti (D)	1.1	1,777
		Chris Bye (L)	0.6	1,049
	Submit photo	Mike Milligan (D)	0.4	608
		John Howe (Alaskan Independence Party)	0.2	380
	Submit photo	Laurel Foster (Independent)	0.2	338
		Stephen Wright (R)	0.2	332
	Submit photo	Jay Armstrong (R)	0.2	286
		J.R. Myers (L)	0.2	285
		Gregg Brelsford (Independent)	0.2	284
	Submit photo	Ernest Thomas (D)	0.1	199
		Robert Lyons (R)	0.1	197
	Submit photo	Otto Florschutz (R)	0.1	193
	Submit photo	Maxwell Sumner (R)	0.1	133
	Submit photo	Richard Trotter (R)	0.1	121
	Submit photo	Anne McCabe (Independent)	0.1	118
	Submit photo	John Callahan (R)	0.1	114
		Arlene Carle (Independent)	0.1	107
	Submit photo	Tim Beck (Independent)	0.1	96
	Submit photo	Thomas Gibbons (R)	0.1	94
	Submit photo	Sherry Mettler (Independent)	0.1	92
		Lady Donna Dutchess (Independent)	0.1	87
		Robert Ornelas (American Independent Party)	0.1	83
	Submit photo	Ted Heintz (L)	0.0	70
	Submit photo	Silvio Pellegrini (Independent)	0.0	70
	Submit photo	Karyn Griffin (Independent)	0.0	67
	Submit photo	David Hughes (Independent)	0.0	54
	Submit photo	Don Knight (Independent)	0.0	46
	Submit photo	Jo Woodward (R)	0.0	44
	Submit photo	Jason Williams (Independent)	0.0	37
	Submit photo	Robert Brown (Independent)	0.0	36
	Submit photo	Dennis Aguayo (Independent)	0.0	31
		William Hibler (Independent)	0.0	25
	Submit photo	Bradley Welter (R)	0.0	24
	Submit photo	David Thistle (Independent)	0.0	23
	Submit photo	Brian Beal (Independent)	0.0	19
	Submit photo	Mikel Melander (R)	0.0	17

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 161,428
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Jesse Sumner (R)
• Breck Craig (Independent)
• Richard Morris (Independent)

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Santa Claus completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Claus' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I'm an independent, progressive, democratic socialist and have an affinity for Bernie Sanders. I'm a City of North Pole Councilman and former: Alaska Public Broadcasting Commissioner, Special Assistant to the Deputy Police Commissioner of New York City, Member of FEMA’s National Defense Executive Reserve, and Director of the Terrorism Research and Communication Center. I earned my bachelors and masters degrees at New York University, where I completed my doctoral coursework in educational communication and technology.

I'm pro-union, support Medicare for All, the Child Tax Credit, student loan cancellation, lesbian, gay, and trans rights, women and children’s rights, the ADA, housing the homeless, protecting our fisheries and environment, respecting our First People’s sovereignty, funding infrastructure, especially broadband, and public broadcasting, and public health programs, and reducing water and air pollution, ending oil and gas company subsidies, strengthening our defense capabilities throughout Alaska, and collaborating with Arctic nations regarding climate change.

I’ll work across the aisle to find common ground, serving all Alaskans, especially our children. I am not soliciting or accepting campaign contributions. Legislators should legislate and not be paid to spend half of their time in office campaigning or fundraising for re-election. Please visit www.SantaClausforAlaska.com. Thank you.

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 support Medicare for All: "Astronomical health care costs and lack of access continue to drive individuals, families, and businesses past their breaking point while insurance companies continue to soak-up billions of health care dollars as millions of children’s basic needs go unmet. Medicare has provided guaranteed health care for millions of seniors for more than 51 years. It’s time we have a Medicare for all, single-payer health care system that would end health disparities, effectively control costs, and assure that everyone has equal access to an excellent standard of care." (Medicare4All.org)
• I've been a proud union member for more than 50 years! Unions fought for and won benefits for many workers: weekends, workday breaks, paid vacations, Family leave and Medical Act, sick leave, Social Security, minimum wage, 8-hour work day, overtime pay, and child labor laws. I support the Pro Act!
• I support human rights: women, children, LGBT+, First People's, veterans, minority, disabled, prisoners, poor, weak, underprivileged, etc.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

At this time, I am concerned about the war Russia is waging. I want to make it crystal clear that what Russia is doing constitutes a war crime. I am an advocate for child health, safety, and welfare. It is appalling that Putin is killing so many vulnerable children and civilians. I believe severe sanctions against Russia eventually will compel the Russian people, who voted Putin into office, to vote him out of office. As Bernie Sanders writes, "The U.S. Congress must implement a foreign policy which focuses on democracy, human rights, diplomacy and peace, and economic fairness. Allow Congress to reassert its Constitutional role in war-making, so that no President can wage unauthorized and unconstitutional interventions overseas. Follow the American people, who do not want endless war. End U.S. support for the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen, which has created the world’s worst humanitarian catastrophe."

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

The book, "In Search of the Next P.O.T.U.S." by Judy Frankel; and, the movies, "Miracle on 34h Street" (original), "It's a Wonderful Life", and "Angels with Dirty Faces".

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would like my legacy to be having afforded everyone, especially children, the opportunity and ability to live a life filled with happiness, peace, good health, prosperity, and, most of all, love -- the greatest gift.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Toward the end of the 1950s, before I reached my teens, I and millions of other children were frightened by the prospect of nuclear war. We used to have to store extra water and food supplies in our basement and practice hiding beneath our desks at school during nuclear/air raid exercises. It was very traumatizing and eerily similar to the prospect of nuclear war and active shooter drills for today's students.

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

"Afer Ventus" by Enya: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEctrR_e_gw

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

War, air/water/ground pollution, climate change, health, especially pandemics, education, elections, infrastructure, natural resources, human rights, justice, defense, energy, taxes, banking, social media, public safety, taxes, immigration, science, humanities, systems of governance....

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

Yes, if Representatives were prohibited from campaigning and fundraising for re-election during their 40+ hours per week of work as a legislator. I think new legislators should come to Washington, D.C., draft, sponsor, co-sponsor and vote on bills, while forming productive alliances with other Members of congress for 2 years only, leave our country better off than they found it, then go back to their respective states, share their knowledge, and encourage others to run for office.

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

I have had an affinity for Senator Bernie Sanders for decades. His independent progressive platform and policies essentially have remained the same throughout his political career, and his vigor and humor remain robust.

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.

See also

2022 Elections

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Government

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External links

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Candidate

U.S. House Alaska At-large District

Website

Twitter

YouTube

Personal

Website

Footnotes

[show]

Alaska's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Lisa Murkowski (R)

Daniel Sullivan (R)

Representatives

Nicholas Begich (R)

Republican Party (3)