Peltola, Sullivan Advance in Alaska Senate Primary Election

Politics22 sourcesAug 19, 2026

Leans rightFactual rigor 50/100

The Story

Democrat Mary Peltola and Republican Dan S. Sullivan are leading in Alaska's primary for the U.S. Senate, with 66% of votes counted.

Peltola leads with 46.8% of the vote, while incumbent Sullivan has 44.4%. The top four vote-getters in Alaska's non-partisan primary advance to the general election in November. Dan J. Sullivan, a retired schoolteacher, is in third place with 2.4% of the vote. Republicans argued that Dan J. Sullivan filed his candidacy as an interference tactic against Senator Sullivan, but the state supreme court ruled in June that he was qualified to run.

Senator Sullivan is running for a third term. Peltola became the first Alaska Native and the first woman to represent Alaska in the House of Representatives in 2022. She was the first Democrat to represent the state in the House in 50 years. She lost her reelection bid for Alaska's sole House seat in 2024 by less than 3 points, despite President Trump winning the state by 13 points.

Democrats view this Senate contest as a key opportunity to gain one of four seats needed to win control of the 100-seat chamber. The Senate Leadership Fund has announced $17 million in advertising spending to support Senator Sullivan. The Senate Majority PAC has invested over $12 million in television reservations to support Peltola. Peltola's campaign rejected support from former Vice President Kamala Harris' PAC days before the primary.

Alaska uses a top-four nonpartisan primary followed by ranked-choice voting in the general election. Senator Sullivan has criticized the ranked-choice voting system, stating it creates unnecessary confusion among voters. Federal prosecutors are investigating whether Dan J. Sullivan's candidacy is part of a conspiracy to confuse voters, with a grand jury issuing subpoenas last week. Dan J. Sullivan told the New York Times he has never voted for President Donald Trump and backed Mary Peltola in her 2022 and 2024 House bids.

President Trump endorsed Senator Sullivan days before the primary, calling the challenger a "Crooked, Radical Left Dumocrat" plant. Senate, defeating former national security official Alex Vindman. Nixon, 42, will face Republican Senator Ashley Moody in November.

What they agree on

Democrat Mary Peltola and Republican Dan S. Sullivan have advanced from Alaska's U.S. Senate primary election.
Alaska's primary system allows the top four vote-getters, regardless of party affiliation, to advance to the general election.
A candidate named Dan J. Sullivan, who shares a name with incumbent Senator Dan S. Sullivan, also appeared on the primary ballot.
Mary Peltola previously served as the first Alaska Native and first woman to represent Alaska in the House of Representatives.
The Alaska Senate race is considered competitive and important for determining control of the U.S. Senate.

Where they split

CBS News and NBC News project that Senator Dan Sullivan and Mary Peltola have advanced, while The Guardian Australia reports Peltola is leading with Sullivan trailing closely behind based on 66% of votes counted.
Breitbart News focuses on the "fake" Dan Sullivan's admission of never voting for Trump and backing Peltola, framing it as "far-left meddling," while other outlets like The New York Times present his statements as part of an investigation into his candidacy.
CNBC and The Jerusalem Post include results from Florida's Democratic Senate primary, where Angie Nixon won, while most Alaska-focused articles omit this information.
NBC News highlights the ongoing federal investigation into Dan J. Sullivan's candidacy, including grand jury subpoenas, a detail not present in all other reports.