Alaska newsrooms team up to cover tight Peltola-Sullivan Senate race
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The gist
Dozens of Alaska news organizations are collaborating on midterm coverage, including the Peltola-Sullivan Senate race.
Scarce resources and a vast state push rivals to share stories and voter guides.
Background
The collaboration involves dozens of Alaska news outlets republishing one another's stories and working across newsrooms on voter guides, driven by scarce resources and the state's size — Alaska is bigger than California, Texas and Montana combined. The race at the center of that coverage is between Democratic challenger Mary Peltola, a former U.S. Representative who led the August primary with 49.5%, and Republican incumbent Senator Dan Sullivan, who had 41.4%. The contest is tight and could help determine control of the Senate.
How it unfolded
- Aug 7, 2026Competing yard signs in Midtown Anchorage back Sullivan and Peltola in the U.S. Senate race.
- Aug 27, 2026Peltola speaks at a U.S. Senate candidate forum held by the Alaska Oil and Gas Association in Anchorage.
- Oct 15, 2026The third and likely final televised Senate debate between Peltola and Sullivan is held in Anchorage; the moderator warns she will cut mics if candidates don't stop.
- Oct 20, 2026Just under 12,000 Alaskans vote on the first day of early voting, with waits of 40 to 45 minutes at Anchorage's Midtown Mall.
- Oct 21, 2026The New York Times reports dozens of Alaska news organizations are collaborating on coverage, including of the midterms.
Who’s saying what
- Editor
- Anchorage Press executive editor Nathaniel Herz says so many Alaska stories go uncovered that there is no good reason for outlets to compete, and resources cry out for better cooperation.
- Candidates
- At the final debate, Sullivan accused Peltola of failing to support U.S. troops, while Peltola said she would take on a system that allows D.C. to wage forever wars.
Still unverified
Republicans, including Trump, have complained that another candidate on the ballot sharing Sullivan's first and last name — dubbed "Decoy Dan" — is out to rig the election by siphoning votes.