Alaska Senate candidates trade barbs as Sullivan seizes on Peltola’s notes in debate
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Democratic candidate Mary Peltola and Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan clashed in a televised Alaska Senate debate, with Sullivan amplifying attacks over Peltola’s use of notecards while both candidates sparred over allegations, the LNG pipeline, and control of the narrowly divided U.S. Senate.
Alaska Senate hopeful Mary Peltola was put on the defensive Thursday night after she appeared to consult notecards during a debate with incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan. Sullivan quickly turned the moment into a cheap talking point on X, writing, "Really, Mary? Reading off a script? You can't cue-card your way through the Senate," after watching Peltola glance down at a paper with bullet points.
Republican National Committee official Joanna Rodriguez also piled on on X, claiming Peltola was relying on "talking points" prepared by outside handlers. A social-media user added another snide attack, saying Peltola could not read her own name without a cue card.
When the issue came up again, Sullivan asked the moderators whether the candidates had received the questions in advance, and they said no. He then said he was "just watching my opponent," underscoring how aggressively he tried to turn the debate into a spectacle.
Peltola responded that she was "better prepared" and defended her use of notes as ordinary preparation rather than a scandal. The Republican research arm, meanwhile, posted a clip of Peltola reading from a card and claimed she had not introduced any bill to aid Alaska fishermen during her first term in Congress.
The debate also drifted into personal allegations, with Sullivan citing a New York Times report that 25 former staffers had quit while working for Peltola. Peltola dismissed the claims as fabrications and said the campaign should not be centered on her "worst day," pushing back against what she portrayed as character assassination.
Moderators warned that continued interruptions could lead to microphones being shut off. Both candidates also addressed the proposed liquefied natural gas pipeline, with Sullivan defending the administration's efforts and Peltola supporting the project while warning against unsupported promises.
The race is seen as a crucial contest for control of the U.S. Senate, with the Cook Political Report calling it a toss-up. President Donald Trump carried Alaska in the 2024 election, and the result could shape the narrow Senate majority.