Anchorage, Alaska – Democratic Senate nominee Mary Peltola and members of her family were involved in a two‑vehicle collision Saturday night near the Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) convention site. The crash occurred as the campaign vehicle was en route to the AFN Annual Banquet.
Campaign manager Cheryl Bruce confirmed that everyone sustained only minor injuries and remained in good spirits. “Unfortunately, per the advice of medical professionals, Mary’s upcoming events in Fairbanks and Bethel will be rescheduled for later in the week as she takes time to recover,” Bruce said.
Impact on the Alaska Always Tour
Bruce added that Peltola is disappointed the accident delayed the start of her “Alaska Always Tour,” a statewide series of town‑hall meetings aimed at connecting directly with Alaskans about her plan to lower costs for working families and challenge what she describes as a “rigged system.” The campaign expects to resume the tour once the candidate is cleared to travel.
Race dynamics as the campaign enters its final stretch
The incident comes at a pivotal moment in the high‑stakes Senate contest between Peltola and incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan. Both candidates have been courting Alaska Native voters, a key constituency in a race that could determine the party balance of the state’s lone Senate seat.
Peltola, an Alaska Native former congresswoman, hopes to become the first Democrat in nearly two decades to represent Alaska in the Senate. Sullivan, meanwhile, continues to rally support across the state, emphasizing his record on energy development and fiscal responsibility.
President Trump weighs in on Alaska’s ranked‑choice voting
President Trump, who recently held a rally in support of Sen. Sullivan, warned on Truth Social that his administration would consider legal action if the incumbent loses. He claimed the presence of a second candidate named Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. on the ranked‑choice ballot is a “TOTAL DEMOCRAT SCAM” designed to confuse voters.
“The Democrats are trying to steal this important Republican seat and, if that happens, everything we’ve done for Alaska will come to an immediate halt,” Trump wrote. He urged Alaskans to vote “YES” against ranked‑choice voting on Ballot Measure 2, framing the system as a voter trap.
Funding landscape
Financial disclosures show Peltola has outraised Sullivan through October, reporting $33 million in contributions compared with Sullivan’s $14 million. However, Sullivan’s campaign cash on hand remains higher, with $5.1 million versus Peltola’s $3.2 million. Overall, Republicans have outspent Democrats in the race, $42 million to $38 million.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
