Peltola is in
By 
Re-taking the Senate is the most urgent political goal for anti-authoritarians, and while recruiting good candidates isn’t sufficient for hitting the requisite Hail Marys it’s certainly necessary:
Former Rep. Mary Peltola entered the Alaska Senate race on Monday, giving Democrats a major candidate recruitment win and the chance to expand the 2026 Senate map as they look for a route to the majority.
The Alaska Democrat’s decision is a victory for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who recruited Peltola to run against Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska). Peltola’s brand as a moderate problem-solver and the state’s ranked-choice voting system open the door for Democrats, but it’s still a steep climb in a state President Donald Trump won by 13 percentage points in 2024.
In her announcement video, Peltola pledged to focus on “fish, family and freedom,” while also calling for term limits and putting “Alaska first.”
“Systemic change is the only way to bring down grocery costs, save our fisheries, lower energy prices and build new housing Alaskans can afford,” Peltola said. “It’s about time Alaskans teach the rest of the country what Alaska First and, really, America First looks like.”
Peltola’s campaign creates another offensive opportunity in play for Democrats, who must flip four seats in order to retake the majority next fall. The odds are long, but Democrats have become increasingly bullish about their chances since their victories in last year’s elections. Peltola carved a moderate profile during her time in Congress, occasionally voting with Republicans on energy and immigration-related legislation.
Even so, Peltola’s decision to run Alaska presents tough sledding for any Democrat. Peltola’s 2022 wins came in large part because of a bitterly divided GOP field, and besides her victories that year, Democrats have won just one other federal race in Alaska in the last half-century.
Sullivan is obviously a tougher opponent than Sarah Palin, but the political context is also going to be a lot less favorable to Republicans than 2022, so it’s worth a shot. I would also be nice if Florida Democrats could find any kind of credible candidate.