Republican rages as new challenge could put red state 'in play' for Dems

Alaska, which has a Republican governor, two Republican senators and a Republican majority in its legislature, could soon be 'in play' for Democrats after former Rep. Mary Peltola (D) announced a bid to challenge Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK), the Wall Street Journal reported Monday.

The news sparked backlash from a GOP operative.

A former tribal judge, Peltola served in Congress from 2022 to 2025, and on Monday announced her bid for Senate to unseat Sullivan, who’s served as Alaska’s junior senator since 2015. While Peltola’s announcement is likely to garner strong support from Democrats nationwide, Alex Latcham, who leads a GOP super PAC affiliated with Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), dismissed her outright — and fiercely attacked her voting record.

The Journal called the announcement, "A move that could put the red-leaning state in play as Democrats make a long-shot bid to retake control of the Senate."

“[Peltola is a] defeated career politician-turned-lobbyist who repeatedly voted against American energy independence, secure borders and the Alaskan way of life,” Latcham told the Journal.

Alaska has not had a Democratic senator since 2015 after Sullivan narrowly defeated former Sen. Mark Begicha.

With Peltola’s campaign announcement, Republicans will now be forced to “expend resources on the race as they fend off other strong Democratic recruits in Ohio, North Carolina and Maine,” Notus reported Monday. And, with Democrats “well positioned for the midterms,” Peltola’s Senate bid could potentially be one of many victories for the party later this year.

“My agenda for Alaska will always be fish, family and freedom,” Petola said of her bid for Senate, the Journal reported. “But our future also depends on fixing the rigged system in D.C. that’s shutting down Alaska, while politicians feather their own nest.”