Alaska Senate Primary Advances Two Dan Sullivans and Democrat Mary Peltola to November Ballot
Preliminary results show incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan and Democrat Mary Peltola leading the Alaska U.S. Senate primary, while a third candidate named Dan Sullivan also secured a spot on the ballot; the fourth-place race remains too close to call.
Preliminary results released by the Alaska Division of Elections indicate that incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan and Democrat Mary Peltola will appear on the November ballot for the U.S. Senate, and a third candidate also named Dan Sullivan is projected to qualify as well. The race for fourth place was too close to determine, with Democrat David Leslie ahead of Republican Gerald Heikes by 39 votes after most precincts reported.
Peltola, who served as Alaska’s lone member of the U.S. House from September 2022 to January 2025, led the primary with roughly 48% of the vote, while Sen. Dan Sullivan, who has held the seat since 2015, received just over 43%. At a watch party in Anchorage, Peltola addressed the results and criticized policies of the previous administration, noting that Sen. Sullivan votes in line with corporate interests.
The Alaska Senate contest is one of four nationwide classified as toss-ups, drawing significant national fundraising. By the end of July, Sullivan’s campaign had raised about $12 million, whereas Peltola’s campaign reported more than $18 million, much of it from small donors through ActBlue and WinRed.
The presence of the lesser-known Dan Sullivan from Petersburg, a registered Republican, has sparked concern among some Republicans that voters could be confused by the identical names. The incumbent’s campaign has alleged irregularities and called for the challenger’s removal from the ballot, while President Donald Trump posted on social media urging voters to support the “incumbent senator” and labeling the other Sullivan an “imposter.”
Petersburg Dan Sullivan said he is not attempting to mislead voters and wants to offer an alternative voice for Alaskans. He noted that sharing a name with the incumbent has drawn unwanted attention. The Alaska Democratic Party and Peltola’s campaign have stated they have no involvement with his candidacy, and his fundraising appears limited to local contributors.