Democrats dreaming of flipping Alaska’s U.S. Senate seat just ran headfirst into a wall of political reality. Those hopes took a serious blow this week when Sen. Lisa Murkowski—long viewed as an unpredictable swing vote—finally closed ranks with her party and with President Donald Trump by endorsing Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan for re-election.
The timing could not be worse for Democrats. Murkowski’s endorsement comes just days after Democrat Mary Peltola formally entered the race, launching a high-profile bid to turn part of deep-red Alaska blue. Instead of momentum, Peltola now faces a unified Republican front in a state where unity often determines victory.
Peltola, a former member of Congress, served one partial term and one full term in the House before losing her seat in a razor-thin race in 2024. She has leaned heavily on her historic status as the first Alaska Native elected to Congress, attempting to parlay identity politics into statewide appeal. On January 12, she announced her Senate run on X, declaring, “I’m running for U.S. Senate to fight for fish, family, and freedom,” while promising to “fix the rigged system in DC.”
In a slickly produced campaign video, Peltola leaned into familiar progressive talking points, calling for “systemic change” to lower grocery prices, cut energy costs, and build housing. She framed Washington as the enemy and cast herself as a populist outsider—despite having already served in Congress. “No one from the Lower 48 is coming to save us,” she said, a line clearly designed to stir Alaskan independence while glossing over her alignment with the national Democratic agenda.
What Peltola didn’t count on was Murkowski stepping in to effectively shut the door on Democrat fantasies. By endorsing Sullivan, Murkowski sends a powerful signal to moderates and independents that Alaska’s interests are best served by experienced Republican leadership—not left-wing experimentation.
Speaking to Alaska Public Media, Murkowski praised Sullivan’s record and emphasized the stakes. “We’ve had a pretty solid team here in the Senate for the past 12 years,” she said. “We want to figure out how we’re going to keep in the majority. And Dan delivers that.”
That endorsement carries real weight. Sullivan has long enjoyed strong support from President Trump and the Republican base, but Murkowski’s backing helps consolidate the center-right vote—an essential advantage in a competitive statewide race. Her decision also undercuts Democratic efforts to portray the GOP as divided or vulnerable.
The move was not entirely expected. Murkowski had previously spoken warmly of Peltola, calling her a friend and expressing respect for her personally. But when it came time to choose between friendship and Alaska’s political future, Murkowski—at long last—made the right call.
“I wish Mary well,” Murkowski said Monday. “That said, I have worked closely and effectively with Senator Sullivan for the past 12 years, and I strongly believe that a Republican majority in the U.S. Senate is in Alaska’s best interests.”
She added that she would support Sullivan’s re-election just as she did in 2014 and 2020.
For Democrats, the message is clear: Alaska is not up for sale. With Trump-backed leadership, a proven conservative record, and now a rare show of GOP unity, Dan Sullivan enters the race from a position of strength—while Democratic hopes of flipping the seat appear to be melting faster than Arctic ice in July.
