Alaska governor to enter Democratic primary in election bid

FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) — Alaska's governor and lieutenant governor are planning to run for re-election by entering into the Democratic primary in August.

Gov. Bill Walker and Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott had planned to bypass the primary and go directly to the November election by gathering signatures to run as unaffiliated candidates, the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reported .

Walker is a former Republican, but he ran as an independent when he became governor in 2014. Mallott is a Democrat.

The two had gathered about half the signatures required to be placed on the November ballot, campaign manager John-Henry Heckendorn said Friday.

Read more: http://www.roanoke.com/news/wire_headlines/alaska-governor-to-enter-democratic-primary-in-election-bid/article_7ac04946-1066-59e0-90da-09d82fff1a17.html