{
  "id": 1505930,
  "title": "Mary Peltola vs. Dan Sullivan: Alaska Senate Primary Final Polls",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/mary-peltola-vs-dan-sullivan-alaska-senate-primary-final-polls",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-17T15:40:17.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Newsweek",
    "slug": "newsweek",
    "url": "https://www.newsweek.com/mary-peltola-vs-dan-sullivan-alaska-senate-primary-final-polls-12331967"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Alaska voters will soon decide in a crucial Senate primary between incumbent Republican Senator Dan Sullivan and Democratic former Representative Mary Peltola. This race could decide the future control of the Senate, as it could tilt the balance of power in Congress. Despite Alaska's reputation as a Republican stronghold, Democrats believe the current political climate, with President Trump's declining popularity and inflation concerns, could give them an edge in flipping conservative seats.\n\nPeltola, who represented the state's at-large congressional district from 2022 to 2025, has strong backing from Alaskans, with over 10,000 people signing up to support her campaign. Sullivan's poll numbers have been dropping as he has faced criticism over rising costs for essentials like gas, groceries, and healthcare.\n\nAlaska's electoral system is unique, involving a nonpartisan top-four primary followed by ranked-choice voting in the general election. This means that four candidates, regardless of party affiliation, will appear on the ballot, and voters will rank their preferences. If no candidate secures an outright majority, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and their supporters' votes are redistributed based on their second choice. This process continues until a candidate receives 50 percent plus one vote.\n\nRecent polls have shown a tight race, with Peltola holding a narrow lead over Sullivan at 50.8 percent to 49.2 percent in a recent survey of 1,371 likely voters. However, an earlier poll from June showed Peltola leading by more than 4 points, 52.4 percent to 47.6 percent. A poll from The New York Times and Siena University found Sullivan with a 2-point lead, 47 percent to 45 percent.\n\nWhile the race remains uncertain, with prediction markets giving both candidates a 50 percent chance of winning, Democrats are rallying behind Peltola. Former Vice President Kamala Harris' super PAC has endorsed her, while the National Republican Senatorial Committee has criticized her, alleging she worked with Harris to \"put Alaska last.\" Despite these efforts, Peltola remains focused on representing Alaska.",
  "summary": "Polls show a close race in Alaska, a state that backed Donald Trump by double digits in the 2024 presidential election.",
  "key_points": [
    "Mary Peltola leads Dan Sullivan by 1.6 percentage points in final polls",
    "Alaska's nonpartisan primary will have four candidates on ballot",
    "Democrats endorse Peltola, criticizing her alleged role in ranking Alaska last"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}