To win control of the U.S. Senate this November, Democrats will need to net at least four seats. That will likely require at least one upset victory – but liberals are quietly confident they may have just such an upset brewing in Alaska.
Earlier this month, former Democrat Rep. Mary Peltola announced her candidacy to unseat incumbent Republican Senator Dan Sullivan, prompting plenty of celebration from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and other national Democrats. In 2022, Peltola became the first Democrat in 50 years to win Alaska’s at-large congressional seat, sparking hopes that she could generate a repeat performance this year. But while Peltola may indeed be the best candidate Democrats could have hoped for, her path to the Senate may not be as clear as it initially seems.
In her announcement video, Peltola framed her candidacy as one focused on fighting for Alaska’s interests over “rigged D.C.” as well as an appeal to overcoming partisan politics. “My agenda for Alaska will always be fish, family, and freedom,” she said, reviving the slogan from her successful U.S. House run, “but our future also depends on fixing the rigged system in D.C. that’s shutting down Alaska while politicians feather their own nest.”
Early polling gives Democrats reason to be optimistic that Peltola has a chance in the race. Prior to her announcement, Alaska Survey Research found Peltola leading Sullivan 48 percent to 46 percent, while the progressive firm Data for Progress had her leading by one point.
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