Democrat Mary Peltola Emerges as Leading Challenger in Alaska Senate Race
Incumbent Republican Senator Dan Sullivan faces a competitive contest against Democrat Mary Peltola, who seeks to become Alaska's first Democratic senator since 2008, while two unrelated Republican candidates share his name on the primary ballot.
Alaska voters will see two Republican candidates named Dan Sullivan on the primary ballot this week – Dan J. Sullivan, a retired teacher and Forest Service employee from Petersburg, and incumbent Sen. Dan S. Sullivan, who has served since 2015. The duplication has prompted legal challenges from the GOP, but courts have allowed both names to remain.
Political analysts say the more significant contest will be between incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan and Democrat Mary Peltola, who won Alaska’s at-large House seat in 2022 and 2023. Peltola, the first Alaska Native elected to Congress, is running to unseat Sullivan in the November midterm election. She emphasizes a moderate platform focused on “fish, family, freedom,” highlighting the state’s fishing industry and advocating for oil and gas projects such as the Willow development.
"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’s campaign has attracted endorsements from labor groups, including the Alaska AFL-CIO, which praised her attention to bycatch and the fishing sector. She also argues that her support for the Willow project benefits union jobs.
Both campaigns have raised substantial funds. Federal Election Commission filings show Peltola has raised about $18.5 million, outpacing Sullivan’s $11.7 million, though the incumbent holds a larger cash-on-hand balance. The Republican-aligned Senate Leadership Fund has committed $17 million to Sullivan, while the Democratic Senate Majority PAC has allocated $12 million to Peltola.
The race is viewed as a potential toss-up by national forecasters, with recent polls indicating a close contest. If Peltola wins, she would become the first Democrat to capture an Alaskan Senate seat in more than a decade, contributing to the party’s efforts to regain control of the chamber.
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.