U.S. Senate race will have two Dan Sullivans and a Mary Peltola
Alaska's U.S. Senate race features a crowded ballot including two candidates named Dan Sullivan and Democrat Mary Peltola. Peltola currently leads the race, which is considered a key tossup that could determine control of the Senate.
Why it matters
The outcome of this race is critical for the balance of power in the U.S. Senate, attracting significant national campaign funding.
Twitter LinkedIn Email Bluesky James Daggett / Alaska Public Media U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan arrived at his election watch party at the Alaska Aviation Museum in Anchorage the evening of Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026. It looks like Alaska will have two candidates named Dan Sullivan on the November ballot for U.S. Senate, as well as Democrat Mary Peltola.
Fourth place in the Senate race was far too close to call: Democrat David Leslie led Republican Gerald Heikes by about two dozen votes.
That was according to preliminary results the state Division of Elections released in the final minutes of Tuesday night, with a majority of Alaska precincts reporting.
Peltola, who served as Alaska’s lone U.S. House representative from September 2022 to January 2025, led the Senate race with 48% of the vote.
Republican Sen. Dan S. Sullivan, who has held the seat since 2015, was in second with 43%.
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