Mary Peltola Declines Endorsement from Kamala Harris in Alaska Senate Race

Mary Peltola, a former representative, has declined support from former Vice President Kamala Harris as she campaigns against Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) in the Alaska Senate race. Harris had sent a fundraising email earlier this week that included a solicitation for donations for both herself and Peltola, stating, "If there’s anyone who can flip Alaska and secure the Senate majority for Democrats — it’s Mary." However, Peltola expressed that she does not seek endorsements from individuals outside of Alaska, according to a campaign spokeswoman who spoke to KTUU in Anchorage. The spokeswoman stated, "Mary isn’t seeking endorsements from anyone from the Lower 48 — her focus is and always will be Alaska." Although Republicans criticized Peltola for the email, her campaign clarified that she did not approve it. The National Republican Senatorial Committee's spokesman, Nick Puglia, commented on Peltola's connection to Harris, labeling her as an "ineffective radical leftist." Peltola did not support Harris in the 2024 presidential election, and Donald Trump won Alaska by 13 points. Peltola previously won Alaska’s at-large congressional seat in 2022, marking the first time a Democrat held the seat in 50 years. She is competing against Sullivan and several other candidates in the upcoming primary, with the top four candidates advancing to the November election, which will be decided by ranked choice voting. The race is anticipated to be costly, with the GOP-aligned Senate Leadership Fund reserving $17 million in ads and the Senate Majority PAC booking over $10 million in ads.