Overview:
Former U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola brought her Senate campaign to Dillingham, where she heard concerns about rising costs and outlined an Alaska-first agenda focused on fisheries, energy, housing, veterans and opposing the Pebble Mine.
Native Vote 2026
Former U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola (Yup’ik) brought her campaign for the U.S. Senate to Dillingham, meeting with residents, community leaders and local officials to hear directly about the issues affecting families in the Bristol Bay region.
Peltola, a lifelong Alaskan and former commercial fisherwoman, said she is traveling throughout the state to hear from residents about the rising cost of living and other challenges facing Alaska communities. She is challenging Republican incumbent U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan in the Nov. 3 general election. Alaska election officials list Peltola and Sullivan among the certified candidates for the Senate race.
“Person-to-person, one conversation at a time, I’m traveling to every corner of our state because every Alaskan deserves a voice,” Peltola said. “The skyrocketing cost of fuel, groceries, and housing is making it harder and harder for families in Dillingham and across our state to get by.”
Peltola said she would serve as an independent voice for Alaska and pledged to fight for the state’s fisheries, oppose the Pebble Mine, address the cost of groceries and energy, and prioritize Alaska’s interests in Washington.
“The message from Alaskans is clear,” Peltola said. “The rigged system in DC is harming our Alaska way of life, and they want a senator who will actually bring down costs and put Alaska first.”
Peltola’s visit comes as affordability has become a central issue in the 2026 Senate campaign. Recent reporting has highlighted the unusually high cost of basic necessities in rural Alaska, including fuel and groceries, while Peltola has made lowering costs a central component of her campaign.
Fisheries a central issue
Peltola has also made Alaska’s fisheries a major part of her Senate campaign. Her campaign platform emphasizes restoring fish populations and protecting the state’s fishing economy, while also calling for increased oil and gas production and policies intended to make energy more affordable.
Her campaign has previously highlighted her background as a lifelong Alaskan who grew up fishing with her father and has centered her political work around what she describes as “fish, family and freedom.”
The Dillingham visit follows a series of policy announcements by Peltola focused on lowering costs, protecting Alaska’s fisheries, increasing oil and gas production, supporting veterans and changing what she describes as a dysfunctional political system in Washington.
Peltola’s campaign also said more than 15,000 Alaskans have signed up to support her Senate bid. Earlier in the campaign, her organization reported that supporters had joined from communities throughout the state.
Peltola advanced from Alaska’s August primary along with Sullivan and is now campaigning statewide ahead of the Nov. 3 general election. Alaska uses ranked-choice voting in its general elections, with voters able to rank candidates in order of preference.
