Former U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola announced her candidacy for the Alaska U.S. Senate seat on Monday, challenging incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan in the 2026 election. The move is seen as a recruitment victory for Democrats aiming to expand their Senate map. Peltola, a moderate Democrat, emphasized her priorities of fish, family, and freedom in her announcement video.
Mary Peltola, who served as Alaska's at-large congressional representative from 2022 to 2025, launched her bid for the U.S. Senate on January 12, 2026. She will face Sen. Dan Sullivan, a Republican who has held the seat since 2015. Peltola's entry prompted the Cook Political Report to shift the race from solid Republican to lean Republican, signaling increased competitiveness.
In her announcement video, Peltola outlined her agenda: "My agenda for Alaska will always be fish, family, and freedom. But our future also depends on fixing the rigged system in DC that’s shutting down Alaska while politicians feather their own nest." She pledged to focus on systemic change to address grocery costs, fisheries, energy prices, and affordable housing, adding, "It’s about time Alaskans teach the rest of the country what Alaska First and, really, America First looks like."
Peltola's congressional tenure began with a special election in September 2022, succeeding the late Rep. Don Young after his 49-year career. She won a full term in November 2022 against a divided Republican field including Sarah Palin and Nick Begich, securing victory under Alaska's ranked-choice voting system with just under 55% in the final round. However, she lost a 2024 rematch to Begich, who consolidated Republican support and won with over 51%.
The race occurs in a state Donald Trump carried by 13 points in 2024, making it a challenging battleground for Democrats, who need to flip four seats to regain Senate control. Republicans hold 53 seats to Democrats' 45, plus two independents caucusing with Democrats. Peltola, the first Alaska Native in Congress, could become the first in the Senate if elected.
Reactions were swift. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer recruited her, viewing it as an offensive opportunity. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee praised her as a "champion for Alaskans" focused on core values, predicting victory in November 2026. Conversely, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a Republican, endorsed Sullivan, stating, "We’ve had a pretty solid team here in the Senate for the past 12 years, so we want to figure out how we’re going to keep in the majority. And Dan delivers that."
The National Republican Senatorial Committee launched a digital ad criticizing Peltola for supporting Biden-Harris policies and alleging ineffectiveness: "Peltola rubber-stamped Biden’s Alaska last policies and didn’t get a single bill signed into law." NRSC spokesman Nick Puglia added, "After voters rejected Mary Peltola’s record pushing radical transgender policies and protecting Joe Biden’s relentless attacks on Alaska energy, she immediately cashed out to lobby for special interests. Voters trust Dan Sullivan to keep fighting for the Alaskan comeback and will reject Peltola again."
Peltola's moderate profile, including occasional votes with Republicans on energy and immigration, and Alaska's ranked-choice system could aid her, though historical Democratic struggles in the state—winning just one federal race in 50 years—pose hurdles. No serious GOP challengers have emerged against Sullivan yet.
