Former Rep. Mary Peltola Challenges Sen. Dan Sullivan for Alaska’s Senate Seat

Former Rep. Mary Peltola announced Monday she will challenge incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan for his U.S. Senate seat representing Alaska, setting up a high-stakes contest in the 2024 election cycle.

In a two-minute campaign video, Peltola highlighted economic challenges and resource scarcity facing Alaskans as central issues in her campaign. “Growing up, Alaska was a place of abundance. Now, we have scarcity,” Peltola said. “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 previously made history as the first Alaska Native to serve in Congress when she won a special election in 2022 to fill the state’s lone House seat following the death of longtime Republican Rep. Don Young. She successfully defended the seat in the regular election later that year, defeating several challengers including former Republican Gov. Sarah Palin. However, her tenure in the House was short-lived, as Republican Nick Begich III defeated her in the 2024 election.

The Democratic candidate’s campaign message emphasizes bipartisanship and putting Alaska’s interests above party politics. She invoked the legacies of two revered late Republican lawmakers from Alaska – Sen. Ted Stevens and Rep. Don Young – as examples of politicians who prioritized their state’s needs over partisan interests.

“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.”

Quoting Stevens’ famous motto, Peltola added, “Ted Stevens often said, ‘to hell with politics, put Alaska first.’ It’s about time Alaskans teach the rest of the country what Alaska First and, really, America First looks like.”

Sullivan, seeking his third term, has positioned himself as a defender of Alaska against Democratic policies. In a recent video response to criticism from a Democratic-aligned super PAC, Sullivan touted his support for tax cuts while criticizing the Biden administration for policies he claims have hurt Alaska’s interests.

“They want what Democrats always want when they’re in charge in D.C.,” Sullivan said, referencing what he characterized as over 70 harmful executive orders signed by President Biden that negatively impacted Alaska.

The race takes place against the backdrop of Democrats’ broader efforts to regain control of both chambers of Congress in November. Alaska’s unique political landscape often defies traditional partisan divides, with resource development, indigenous rights, climate change, and economic diversification emerging as key regional issues that cross party lines.

The state’s distinctive ranked-choice voting system, which allowed Peltola to win her House seat in 2022 despite Alaska’s Republican-leaning electorate, could again play a significant role in determining the outcome of this Senate race.

Political analysts note that Peltola’s emphasis on resource scarcity touches on growing concerns about Alaska’s changing environment and economy. The state has experienced significant impacts from climate change affecting traditional hunting and fishing practices, while also facing economic pressures related to its historical dependence on oil revenue.

This Senate contest will likely attract national attention and resources as both parties recognize Alaska’s strategic importance in the battle for Senate control. The state’s vast natural resources, geographic position relative to Arctic interests, and unique demographic makeup give it outsized significance despite its small population.