Sullivan and Peltola advance in Alaska Senate race

Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan and Democrat Mary Peltola are headed for a November showdown in Alaska’s U.S. Senate race, NBC News projected, setting up a closely watched contest that could help determine control of the chamber — and one complicated by another candidate with the same name as the incumbent.

Alaska uses a top-four primary system in which candidates from all parties appear on the same ballot, with the four highest vote-getters advancing to the general election. The November election is decided by ranked-choice voting. NBC News projected Sullivan and Peltola will move on, while the final two spots remained undetermined.

The Guardian reported that with 66% of votes counted, Peltola led the primary with 46.8% of the vote, followed by the incumbent Sullivan at 44.4%. Dan J. Sullivan, a retired schoolteacher and former U.S. Forest Service employee running as a Republican, was in third place with 2.4%.

The presence of Dan J. Sullivan has drawn intense scrutiny. The incumbent senator and his Republican allies have argued that the retired teacher entered the race as a Democratic plant to confuse voters, an allegation Dan J. Sullivan has denied. Peltola’s campaign has also denied any involvement with his campaign.

The dispute reached the courts before the primary. The Guardian reported that the Alaska Supreme Court ruled in June that Dan J. Sullivan was qualified to run and ordered election officials to place him on the ballot. NBC News reported that state and federal prosecutors are investigating whether his candidacy is part of a conspiracy to confuse voters, and that a law enforcement official said a grand jury issued subpoenas last week seeking information from witnesses connected to his campaign.

Democrats have long viewed Alaska as a possible pickup opportunity as they seek a net gain of four seats to take control of the Senate. That target comes despite former President Donald Trump carrying Alaska by double digits in each of the last three presidential elections.

Peltola, a former state legislator and city councilwoman, became the first Alaska Native to represent the state in Congress when she won a special election for Alaska’s at-large House seat in 2022. The Guardian described her as also the first woman to represent Alaska in the House. She won a full term later that year, then lost reelection in 2024 by 3 percentage points, while running nearly 16,000 votes ahead of Vice President Kamala Harris.

Her campaign has emphasized local issues under the slogan “fish, family, freedom,” while criticizing what she calls a “rigged” political system. She has also outraised Sullivan, bringing in $18 million so far compared with his $12 million. As of July 29, Sullivan had $7.3 million available to spend, while Peltola had $4.6 million in the bank.

Sullivan, a former Marine first elected in 2014, is seeking a third term. Trump has endorsed him, and Sullivan has broadly supported Trump’s agenda. The senator has highlighted his work for veterans and Alaska’s fishing industry, while portraying Peltola as too liberal for the state. In a recent ad, his campaign argued she is beholden to “Lower 48 liberals.”

Peltola’s campaign recently changed leadership, with deputy campaign manager Cheryl Bruce becoming campaign manager. The campaign said former manager Anton McParland, Peltola’s former congressional chief of staff, moved into a “new role,” NBC News reported.