Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan and Democrat Mary Peltola will advance to the November general election for Alaska’s Senate seat following the state’s unique top-four primary, according to NBC News projections. The high-stakes race is drawing national attention as Democrats target the seat in their strategy to capture a Senate majority.
Alaska’s Top-Four Primary and the November Ballot
Alaska uses a top-four primary system where candidates from all political parties compete on a single ballot, and the top four finishers advance to the general election decided by ranked-choice voting. While NBC News projected both Sullivan and Peltola to move forward, the final two spots on the November ballot remained undetermined as votes were tallied.
Adding an unusual twist to the contest, a former teacher named Dan J. Sullivan is also running on the primary ballot as a Republican. According to NBC News, the incumbent senator and his GOP allies have claimed that the second candidate is a Democratic plant, a charge that Dan J. Sullivan has denied. Peltola’s campaign also denied any involvement with the challenger’s campaign.
The same-name candidacy triggered a legal dispute over ballot placement. State and federal prosecutors launched investigations into whether the campaign is part of a conspiracy to confuse voters, with a federal grand jury issuing subpoenas to compel witness testimony, a law enforcement official told NBC News.
Campaign Fundraising and Voter Dynamics
Democrats view Alaska as a prime pickup opportunity despite Donald Trump carrying the state by double digits in past presidential elections, pointing to Peltola’s proven strength in statewide races. Peltola became the first Alaska Native to represent the state in Congress when she won a 2022 special election, later winning a full term before losing her seat in 2024 by 3 percentage points.
Financial disclosures show Peltola out-raising the incumbent, pulling in $18 million compared to Sullivan’s $12 million. Campaign finance reports as of July 29 show Sullivan with $7.3 million remaining in cash on hand, while Peltola held $4.6 million, according to NBC News.
Sullivan, a former Marine first elected in 2014 and endorsed by Trump, has campaigned on his work for veterans and the state’s fishing industry while portraying Peltola as overly liberal. Peltola centers her platform on local issues under the banner of “fish, family, freedom.”
Debate Highlights and Campaign Trails
The race has also generated viral moments on the campaign trail. During a debate in Kodiak focused on Alaska’s fishing industry, Senator Dan Sullivan appeared to miss a lightning-round question while shuffling papers, subsequently looking at Peltola’s paddle before displaying a matching “no” response, according to Mediaite reports.
Both campaigns continue to adjust their operations heading into the general election. Peltola’s campaign recently underwent a staff transition, with deputy campaign manager Cheryl Bruce stepping in to lead as campaign manager while former manager Anton McParland moved into a new role, NBC News reported.
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