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Former Rep. Mary Peltola announced that she is running for the U.S. Senate in Alaska, giving Democrats a high-profile recruit as they seek to unseat two-term Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan in a state President Donald Trump carried comfortably in 2024.
“Growing up, Alaska was a place of abundance. Now, we have scarcity,” Peltola said in a video launching her campaign. “The salmon, large game, and migratory birds that used to fill our freezers are harder to find. So we buy more groceries, with crushing prices.”
Peltola, a former state legislator, previously represented Alaska as its lone member of the House, first winning a 2022 special election and later that year securing a full term. She became the first Alaska Native elected to Congress and consistently outperformed the average Democrat in the heavily Republican state.
She lost her 2024 re-election bid by about 3 percentage points, as Trump carried Alaska by roughly 13 points.
A difficult Senate map for Democrats
Peltola’s entry comes as Democrats face an uphill battle to regain control of the Senate in 2026. The party must defend multiple seats in battleground states while flipping at least four Republican-held seats. Given the map, that would likely require Democrats to win in at least two states Trump carried by double digits — something they have not done in recent Senate cycles.
Party strategists believe Peltola could put Alaska in play, citing her statewide name recognition, fundraising ability and bipartisan image. Democrats are also eyeing potential long-shot opportunities in states such as Ohio, Iowa and Texas.
Appeal to Alaska’s political tradition
In her launch video, Peltola positioned herself as part of a distinct Alaska political tradition, citing late Republican Sens. Ted Stevens and Don Young, her predecessor in the House.
“Our delegation used to stand up to their party and put Alaska first,” Peltola said. “Ted Stevens and Don Young ignored Lower 48 partisanship to fight for things like public media and disaster relief because Alaska depends on them.”
A former member of the centrist Blue Dog Coalition, Peltola first ran for Congress under the slogan “fish, family, freedom,” which she revived in her Senate announcement. She has emphasized her support for gun rights — saying she owns 176 long guns — while also backing abortion rights.
She decried what she called a “rigged system” and voiced support for term limits. While she did not mention Sullivan by name, Peltola invoked Trump’s own rhetoric, saying Alaskans should show the country what “Alaska First” — and “America First” — truly means.
Sullivan prepares for a fight
Sullivan, a Marine veteran who has Trump’s endorsement, has been preparing for a competitive race. His campaign reported nearly $4.8 million cash on hand as of Sept. 30, according to the most recent filings.
First elected in 2014 after narrowly defeating Democratic Sen. Mark Begich, Sullivan won re-election in 2020 by 13 points over independent Al Gross.
In a statement, Sullivan campaign spokesperson Nate Adams defended the incumbent’s record.
“Dan Sullivan has spent years delivering real results for Alaska: historic investments in our state’s health care, major funding for our Coast Guard, helping protect those who can’t protect themselves, and policies that are finally unleashing Alaska’s energy potential,” Adams said.
He criticized Peltola’s tenure in the House, saying she “didn’t pass a single bill,” and argued that Alaskans “deserve a senator with a proven record of getting things done.”
Sullivan has largely backed Trump’s agenda, including the president’s signature tax and spending package, though he recently joined Democrats in supporting a proposal to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies for three additional years.
Early spending ramps up
Democrats have already begun advertising in the race, with groups spending a combined $3.1 million so far, according to AdImpact. Most of that spending is tied to Senate Majority PAC, a super PAC aligned with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York.
Republican-aligned groups have spent nearly $1.5 million to date.
