The two leading candidates in Alaska’s hotly contested U.S. Senate race faced off in an antagonistic debate on Thursday night that raced through the state’s many economic challenges while also veering into biting personal attacks. Running to represent a state far removed from the contiguous United States, both Dan Sullivan, the Republican incumbent, and Mary Peltola, the Democratic challenger, strained to portray the other as a tool of the Washington elite while distancing themselves from their national parties. Their contest carries high stakes, with Alaska viewed as a potential pickup for Democrats as they try to wrest control of the Senate from Republicans.
Each portrayed the other as corrupt and out of touch. A race playing out thousands of miles from Washington has centered on which candidate can convince voters that they are more attuned to the needs of working-class Alaskans while painting the other as beholden to the wealth of the “Lower 48.” On Thursday, both candidates wasted little time drawing a stark contrast on the issue. Mr. Sullivan had grown wealthy during his time in Washington while losing touch with everyday Alaskans, Ms. Peltola charged. “Dan’s been in D.C. for 12 years and gotten richer every single one of those years,” she said.
Mr. Sullivan shot back that Ms. Peltola “defines the rigged system in D.C.,” noting that she had joined a lobbying firm after losing re-election in 2024. “There’s nothing more rigged than a member of Congress getting fired and then immediately walking through the revolving door to cash in,” he said.
Prices at the pump took center stage. Persistently high prices — especially fuel costs stemming from President Trump’s war in Iran — have snarled Republican campaigns across the country. Perhaps no state has it worse than Alaska, where the average cost of a gallon of gasoline has climbed to nearly $8 in rural areas. Mr. Sullivan acknowledged that fuel costs were “a huge issue that is hurting people across the state.”
Source: New York Times Top Stories · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing