FAIRBANKS, ALASKA (KTUU/KTVF) – Former congresswoman Mary Peltola, who served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2022 to 2025 and is now running for U.S. Senate against incumbent Dan Sullivan, kicked off her campaign with an event at Trail Breaker Kennel in Fairbanks.
Dozens of community members, including local politicians, showed up at the event to meet with the candidate and hear her speak.
Winning the special election to fill the remainder of late representative Don Young’s term in Congress, Peltola made history as the first woman and first Alaska Native person representing Alaska in the U.S. House.
Addressing the assembled crowd, the candidate said she has held numerous events at Trail Breaker Kennel, but that this is the biggest group she had ever seen there.
“I don’t need to tell any of you what’s at stake. You all watch the news and have as much anxiety as I do, and so we all know what’s at stake here. We all know what’s on the line,” she said.
Touting Alaska’s potential, Peltola said she wanted to bring the state back to its former abundance and opportunity.
Referring to her 2024 reelection loss to Republican Nick Begich, Peltola said “We’ve all learned from our mistakes.
“There is no sitting this election cycle out,” she added. “There’s too much on the line.”
The event comes nine days into Peltola’s Senate race.
