Travis Hammitch

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Colonel **Travis Hammitch** (Born November 17, 1946) is a

retired Alaskan law enforcement officer, formerly the Director of the Alaskan State Troopers, and the Democratic nominee for the 2016 United States Senate election in Alaska.

After graduating high school, Hammitch spent his youth and early adulthood working in the oil fields of Alaska, but upon quitting his job, joined first the Anchorage Police Department, and then the Alaskan State Troopers, after being discharged from the APD. He reached the rank of Colonel and became the Director of the Troopers in 2006, holding the position until 2017.

In 2016, Hammitch successfully won the Democratic nomination to compete for Senator Thomas Nilap's seat in the U.S. Senate, but was narrowly defeated by Helena Locklear in the closest election in Alaskan history. Hammitch has been described as a Blue Dog Democrat, positioned in the party's conservative wing.

## Early Life and Education

Hammitch was born in 1946, his father, serving in WWII in the U.S. Navy, conceiving him shortly after the end of the war. Hammitch was raised in a middle-class family, and attended Juneau-Douglas High School, in which he received generally high marks, working at various jobs throughout his four years.

Like his father, Hammitch did not attend college, instead accepting a manual labor position in the state's oil industry upon his graduation from high school.

## Early Career

Hammitch continued to work in the oil fields for several years, settling down to start a family after marrying Madison Long at twenty years of age, the couple having a son together. Hammitch expressed discontent over his employment, loathing what he saw as the destruction of Alaska's natural beauty. Hammitch would later summarize his feelings in a moderate-selling book he wrote on the topic-*The Frontier's Surrender.*

Hammitch eventually quit his job in the petroleum industry, moving to Anchorage, where he struggled to find work, ultimately leading his divorce from Long, who was awarded primary custody of their child.

## Anchorage Police Department

Hammitch eventually found work in enlisting in the Anchorage Police Department, a job that he would hold over the next decade. In his tenure in the Anchorage Police Department, Hammitch grew popular among his fellow offices, and was noted for establishing a warm rapport with the citizenry, considered friendly and a good example of public relations.

Hammitch rose fairly quickly in the ranks, but had his career dashed when he was discovered engaging in an affair with the daughter of the Chief of Police, and was removed from the force.

## Alaskan State Troopers

Having lost his job in the APD, Hammitch applied for, and was admitted into, the Alaskan State Troopers. Early into his new career, Hammitch would marry the daughter of the Anchorage Chief of Police, Samantha Nelson. Hammitch found significant success working with the Troopers, advancing to the rank of Colonel, and eventually attaining the position of Director of the AST in 2006. Hammitch served as director for the next decade, creating a more efficient budget, and presiding over a general, gradual, decrease in crime within Alaska.

## Political Career

Hammitch began his political career in 2016, electing to run for the Democratic nomination to the U.S. Senate, expressing concern at the issues within the Republican nomination process. Hammitch had no major competitors in the state, and successfully attained the nomination.

On September 10th, Hammitch engaged in his first debate with Senator Nilap, running as an Independent, and Republican nominee Helena Locklear. Early polling showed Locklear holding a slight lead, which shifted to a slight lead for Hammitch after Nilap dropped out of the race.

Both Locklear and Hammitch would receive 40% of the vote, Locklear winning by under two hundred votes, at 40.04% to 39.99%, with a strong third-party showing from Progressive Gaston LeGume at 17.88%, and the incumbent Nilap receiving 2.09% after his exit. Some attribution for Hammitch's loss was laid at a late advertisement from a Locklear-aligned PAC that generated controversy for selective editing, claiming that Hammitch supported refugee resettlement in Alaska, against his stated position.

Hammitch did not seek a recount of the 2016 results despite the close margin, and broadly withdrew from the public eye. Hammitch would participate in the 2016 Democratic Unity Conference in Florida.

## Political Positions

Hammitch is generally considered a conservative, Blue Dog Democrat. Hammitch is a gun owner, outside his service weapon, and has expressed support of both gun ownership and the Second Amendment, but has advocated for background checks to prevent criminal acquisition of firearms. Hammitch is pro-choice, and defends the legal recognition of same-sex couples, but has argued in support of RFRA laws for protection of religious liberty. Hammitch generally is considered an advocated of State's Rights, and a decentralized government, along with promoting a generally noninterventionist foreign policy. Hammitch has expressed support of increasing education funding, along with Common Core education standards. Hammitch is on-record supporting the legalization and taxation of marijuana nationwide. A hunter and conservationist, Hammitch has been outspoken in favor of greater protections for the environment. Hammitch generally opposes increased taxes.

## Personal Life

Hammitch married twice, and has three adult children, a son from his first marriage, and two daughters from his second. Hammitch is currently single after divorcing his second wife, Samantha Long Hammitch, in 2017.

Hammitch is a Lutheran Christian, and attends weekly services.

During his law enforcement career, the white-bearded Hammitch has often played as Santa Claus for various children's or charity events.