Conservative Senator Dan Sullivan Faces Radical Democrat Mary Peltola in Alaska Senate Race
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Incumbent Republican Senator Dan Sullivan, a defender of Alaska’s values and energy independence, faces an aggressive challenge from Democrat Mary Peltola, as confusion over duplicate GOP candidates clouds the primary ballot.
Alaska voters will encounter an unusual situation this week, with two Republican candidates named Dan Sullivan on the primary ballot – Dan J. Sullivan, a retired teacher and Forest Service employee from Petersburg, and incumbent Sen. Dan S. Sullivan, who has reliably served Alaska since 2015. The Republican Party, seeking to protect the integrity of the ballot and avoid voter confusion, challenged the duplication in court, but liberal judges allowed both names to remain, potentially undermining the party’s chances.
However, the real threat comes from Democrat Mary Peltola, who is attempting to unseat Sen. Sullivan in the November midterm election. Peltola, who narrowly won Alaska’s at-large House seat in 2022 and 2023, is running as a so-called moderate, but her record shows support for left-wing priorities and big government spending. Her campaign slogan, “fish, family, freedom,” masks her alignment with the national Democratic agenda, including support for controversial oil and gas projects like Willow, which she claims will benefit the state.
"The reason Mary Peltola has a chance is not because, necessarily, Democrats are surging in Alaska. It’s that Mary Peltola, you know, she’s very pro-oil and gas development. She’s good on issues that matter to Alaskans’ pocketbooks," said election-law attorney Scott Kendall.
Peltola has received endorsements from powerful labor unions, including the Alaska AFL-CIO, which praised her focus on fishing and union jobs. Her willingness to support projects like Willow is a calculated move to win over working-class voters, even as she remains tied to the Democratic Party’s anti-energy, anti-business platform.
Both campaigns have raised significant sums, with Peltola’s campaign pulling in $18.5 million—much of it from out-of-state liberal donors—compared to Sullivan’s $11.7 million. The Republican-aligned Senate Leadership Fund has committed $17 million to support Sullivan, while the Democratic Senate Majority PAC has allocated $12 million to Peltola, demonstrating how national Democrats are desperate to flip this seat.
National forecasters now call the race a toss-up, with recent polls showing a close contest. If Peltola wins, she would be the first Democrat to hold an Alaska Senate seat in over a decade, potentially tipping the balance of power in Washington and threatening Alaska’s conservative values.
Other statewide contests include the gubernatorial race, as incumbent Gov. Mike Dunleavy is term-limited, and a House race featuring Republican Nick Begich III and independent Bill Hill.