Lance Pruitt

Born and raised in Anchorage, Pruitt graduated from Heritage High School in 1999, thereafter spending the next four years at the University of Alaska Anchorage gaining a BA in History.{{cite web|title=Representative Lance Pruitt: Biography|url=http://www.housemajority.org/pruitt/index.php?p=bio|publisher=The House Majority|accessdate=21 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110924204128/http://housemajority.org/pruitt/index.php?p=bio|archive-date=24 September 2011|url-status=dead}} Afterwards Pruitt began work in logistical management, including becoming Service Manager at FedEx Ground, and alongside his work as a state representative Pruitt is now also General Manager of Sears Logistics{{cite web|title=About Lance|url=http://www.lancepruitt.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1216&Itemid=603|publisher=Lane Pruitt|accessdate=21 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331011348/http://www.lancepruitt.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1216&Itemid=603|archive-date=31 March 2012|url-status=dead}} and the owner of small business Good 4 You Vending.{{cite web |title=I AM UAA: Representative Lance Pruitt |url=http://greenandgold.uaa.alaska.edu/blog/8535/i_am_uaa_representative_lance_pruitt/?option=com_content&view=article&id=8535%3AI-AM-UAA-Representative-Lance-Pruitt&Itemid=120 |publisher=Green & Gold News |accessdate=23 September 2013}} Furthering his study, he attended Kaplan University from 2007 to 2009 and graduated with an MBA in administration. He has also been a NANA slope worker{{cite web|title=Representative Pruitt|url=http://house.legis.state.ak.us/rep.php?id=pru|publisher=Alaska State Legislature|accessdate=21 August 2011}} and a member of the Alaska Chamber of Commerce.

Pruitt ran for the state house's 21st district being vacated by Democrat Harry Crawford. Running unopposed, Pruitt gained the Republican nomination in August 2010.{{cite web|title=State of Alaska 2010 Primary Election August 24, 2010 Official Results|url=https://www.elections.alaska.gov/results/10PRIM/data/results.htm|publisher=Alaska state government|access-date=21 August 2011}} In the November election, he defeated Democratic nominee Barbara Norton 54% to 43%. (The Libertarian nominee and write-ins received the remainder of the vote.){{cite web|title=State of Alaska 2010 General Election November 2, 2010 Official Results without US Senate Race|url=http://www.elections.alaska.gov/results/10GENR/data/resultsOF.htm|publisher=Alaska state government|accessdate=21 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191121015145/http://www.elections.alaska.gov/results/10GENR/data/resultsOF.htm|archive-date=21 November 2019|url-status=dead}}

After being elected, Pruitt became co-chair of the house's Energy Special Committee; he also served as vice-chair of the education and transportation committees and as a member of the Legislative Outdoor Heritage Caucus.{{cite web|title=Representative Lance Pruitt: Committees|url=http://www.housemajority.org/pruitt/index.php#committees|publisher=The House Majority|accessdate=21 August 2011}} In the 2011 mid-term Alaska Business Report Card—a grading system run by several Alaska business coalitions judging state officials on how favorable they are to the business community—Pruitt received an A.{{cite web|title=2011 midterm Alaska Business Report Card |url=http://www.alaskabusinessreportcard.com/2011/midtermgrades.html |publisher=Alaska Business Report Card |accessdate=14 December 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426051430/http://www.alaskabusinessreportcard.com/2011/midtermgrades.html |archivedate=26 April 2012 }}

In his first term, Pruitt was the youngest member of the House. He was also the first person under age 30 to serve in the Alaska Legislature since Mary Kapsner reached her 30th birthday while in office in 2003. In 2014 he was named an Aspen Institute Rodel Fellow.{{cite web |title=About the Rodel Fellowship Program|url=http://www.aspeninstitute.org/leadership-programs/aspen-institute-rodel-fellowships-public-le-/about-rodel-fellowship-program}} As House Minority Leader, Pruitt spearheaded the removal of David Eastman from his committee positions due to Republican infighting.{{Cite web|url=https://www.juneauempire.com/news/alaska-house-temporarily-strips-eastman-of-committee-roles/|title=Alaska House temporarily strips Eastman of committee roles|date=2020-03-05|website=Juneau Empire|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-07}}

Pruitt ran for reelection in 2020 and lost to Democratic challenger Liz Snyder by 13 votes. The Alaska Supreme Court struck down his challenges to the result.{{Cite web|last1=McChesney|first1=Rashah|last2=Juneau|first2=KTOO-|date=2021-01-09|title=Alaska Supreme Court strikes down Rep. Lance Pruitt's challenge to his election loss|url=https://www.alaskapublic.org/2021/01/08/alaska-supreme-court-strikes-down-rep-lance-pruitts-challenge-to-his-election-loss/|access-date=2021-01-17|website=Alaska Public Media|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210109004515/https://www.alaskapublic.org/2021/01/08/alaska-supreme-court-strikes-down-rep-lance-pruitts-challenge-to-his-election-loss/|archive-date=January 9, 2021|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|last=Downing|first=Suzanne|date=2021-01-09|title=Judge denies Lance Pruitt a do-over for D-27 election|url=https://mustreadalaska.com/judge-denies-lance-pruitt-a-do-over-for-d-27-election/|access-date=2021-01-17|website=Must Read Alaska|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210109042812/https://mustreadalaska.com/judge-denies-lance-pruitt-a-do-over-for-d-27-election/|archive-date=January 9, 2021|url-status=live}}

In 2021, the Alaska Public Offices Commission levied a $20,000 fine against Pruitt for campaign finance violations committed from 2016 to 2020.{{cite news |author1=Nathaniel Herz |title=APOC fines former GOP Alaska Rep. Pruitt for “widespread, serious” campaign finance violations |url=https://www.alaskapublic.org/2021/06/23/apoc-fines-former-gop-alaska-rep-pruitt-for-widespread-serious-campaign-finance-violations |access-date=June 26, 2021 |work=Alaska Public Media |date=June 23, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210703013041/https://www.alaskapublic.org/2021/06/23/apoc-fines-former-gop-alaska-rep-pruitt-for-widespread-serious-campaign-finance-violations |archive-date=July 3, 2021 |language=en-US}}

Pruitt is married to Mary Ann and has two children and currently resides in East Anchorage. He is a member of the National Rifle Association of America, which also endorsed his run for the house.{{cite web|title=Endorsements|url=http://www.lancepruitt.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1230&Itemid=617|publisher=Lance Pruitt|accessdate=21 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331011353/http://www.lancepruitt.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1230&Itemid=617|archive-date=31 March 2012|url-status=dead}} Alongside his activities Pruitt has also been a soccer coach, and helped for both the Alaska Airmen's Association and the Resource Development Council.

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{{Portal|Alaska|Biography|Politics}}

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• [http://100years.akleg.gov/bio.php?id=829 Lance Pruitt] at 100 Years of Alaska's Legislature

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Category:1981 births

Category:Businesspeople from Anchorage, Alaska

Category:Living people

Category:Republican Party members of the Alaska House of Representatives

Category:21st-century members of the Alaska Legislature

Category:Politicians from Anchorage, Alaska

Category:University of Alaska Anchorage alumni

Category:Kaplan University alumni