Sullivan, Peltola Advance in Alaska Senate Primary
GOP Sen. Dan Sullivan and Democrat Mary Peltola will meet in November as both parties pour millions into the closely watched race.
Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan and former Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola are among the candidates advancing to Alaska's general election Senate race in November, CBS News projects, in a contest that could help determine control of the chamber next year.
Alaska has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 2008, but Sullivan faces a formidable challenger in Peltola. Alaska uses a top-four primary system, meaning the four highest vote-getters advance to the general election; the other two candidates who qualified have not yet been determined.
Peltola, 52, became the first Democrat to represent Alaska in the House in 50 years when she won in 2022, and the first Alaska Native to serve in Congress. She lost her reelection bid the following cycle but came within less than 3 percentage points of winning in 2024, even as President Trump carried the state by 13 points.
Sullivan, 61, a Marine veteran who worked at the State Department under President George W. Bush, is seeking a third term after winning by a comfortable margin in 2020. Republicans are investing heavily to defend the seat, with the Senate Leadership Fund announcing $17 million in advertising spending to support him.
Democrats, hoping midterm dynamics that typically favor the party out of power will help them flip the seat, have also committed significant resources. The Senate Majority PAC has reserved more than $12 million in television advertising to support Peltola, who has cast herself as an independent voice for Alaskans.
Peltola has sought to distance herself from some national Democrats, however. Her campaign rejected support from former Vice President Kamala Harris days before the primary after Harris' political action committee tried to fundraise on her behalf.
Republicans currently hold 53 Senate seats. Democrats would need to flip four seats while defending several of their own to take control of the chamber, and the 2026 map has generally been viewed as difficult for the party. But the Alaska race is seen as one of the party's better opportunities for a pickup.
This article was produced with the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI), in accordance with our editorial policy.
