Alaska’s closely watched Senate contest continues to tilt in favor of Democratic nominee Mary Peltola. After Monday’s latest ballot drop, the incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan trails by 2,517 first‑choice votes, widening the gap that had hovered at just 637 votes since Election Day.
Current vote totals
As of Tuesday midday ET, Peltola holds 48.6% of the vote (106,321 votes) while Sullivan sits at 47.5% (103,804 votes) in the state’s ranked‑choice voting system. The system will only move to additional rounds if no candidate reaches a majority of first‑choice votes.
Other candidates remain far behind: Republican Gerald Heikes has 2.2% (4,865 votes) and independent Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. has 1.7% (3,651 votes). Roughly three‑quarters of the expected ballots have been counted, with many early, absentee and questioned ballots still pending.
Campaign statements
Peltola’s campaign manager Cheryl Bruce issued a statement after the latest count, saying, “After every vote is counted, it is clear that Mary Peltola will be elected Alaska’s next United States Senator.” She added that Peltola’s margin reflects strong support in Anchorage and Chevak and that she will continue her “relentless fight to lower costs and put Alaska first in the United States Senate.”
Trump administration’s view
President Donald Trump and Sen. Sullivan have both indicated that if Peltola fails to reach the 50% threshold, the ranked‑choice process could shift secondary votes to the Republican side. The administration’s comments underscore the importance of every ballot in a race that could affect the Senate balance.
Governor Dunleavy’s involvement
Governor Mike Dunleavy described Alaska’s vote‑counting process as “very confusing” and “a slow system,” noting upcoming ballot dumps expected on Nov. 13 and Nov. 18. He also reiterated his ongoing investigation into the “Decoy Dan” candidacy of Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., a scheme the New York Times described as an attempt to siphon votes from the incumbent.
“We’re still in the process of bringing in votes and counting votes,” Dunleavy said in a Sunday interview. “And we are in the midst of investigations to determine if there was any wrongdoing, especially anything that might resemble perjury or a misrepresentation of an individual’s intent on how they wanted their candidacy to be placed on the ballot.”
What’s next?
Official ranked‑choice tabulation is scheduled for Nov. 18, after the overseas absentee deadline. Certification of the results is set for Nov. 25.
Alaska’s race remains a key piece of the broader Senate picture. Democrats have secured a 54‑44 edge for the final two years of President Trump’s term, but the Alaska and Mississippi contests are still too close to call. If Democrats capture both seats, they would hold a 56‑44 majority in the upper chamber.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
