Ed Schoenfeld

JUNEAU, ALASKA (2010-06-02) Southeast Alaska’s most widespread House district has an election challenger.

Cordova City Councilmember Robert Beedle has filed to run for the seat as a Democrat. He will face House District 5 incumbent Haines Republican Bill Thomas in the November general election. Neither faces a primary battle.

Beedle was elected to Cordova’s City Council earlier this year. He’s also a director of the Cordova Telephone Cooperative. He could not be immediately reached for comment.

Thomas is seeking his fourth two-year term in the House.

The district stretches from Cordova in Prince William Sound to Metlakatla in southern Southeast. It includes about 25 small cities and villages, such as Craig, Hoonah, Skagway and Yakutat.

Six Southeast legislative seats are on this year’s ballot. Only three have challengers.

Juneau Democratic Senator Dennis Egan, Democratic Representative Beth Kerttula and Republican Representative Cathy Munoz face no opposition.

Ketchikan Republican Representative Kyle Johansen faces Democrat Ottar Mobley of Thorne Bay. And Wrangell Republican Representative Peggy Wilson has two challengers: Petersburg’s Steve Samuelson in the GOP primary and Sitka Democrat Reber Stein in the general election.