Democratic Senate nominee Mary Peltola and members of her family were hurt in a two-vehicle collision in Anchorage on Saturday night, forcing her campaign to rework its schedule in the closing weeks of the midterm race.
The crash happened near the Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) convention, where candidate events and campaign appearances had been taking place over the weekend. According to the campaign, another vehicle struck the one carrying Peltola and her relatives as they headed to the AFN Annual Banquet.
Campaign manager Cheryl Bruce said in a statement that Peltola and her family suffered minor injuries but are "in good spirits." She said medical professionals advised Peltola to rest, so her upcoming events in Fairbanks and Bethel will be moved to later in the week.
Bruce added that Peltola is disappointed the accident has delayed the start of her Alaska Always Tour. She is eager to return to the trail, Bruce said, to speak directly with Alaskans about her plan to take on the "rigged system" and lower costs for working families.
The interruption comes at a critical point in the contest between Peltola and incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan. Both campaigns are crisscrossing the state to energize supporters and secure turnout ahead of the November vote.
Peltola, an Alaska Native and former congresswoman, hopes to become the first Democrat in nearly two decades to represent the state in the Senate. She and Sullivan have both courted Alaska Native voters, a key group in a race that is among the most closely watched in the country.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump, who held a rally for Sullivan earlier this month, said Friday that he had told his administration to sue to block certification of the result if the incumbent loses. The lawsuit points to possible confusion with another candidate who appears on the ranked choice ballot as Daniel J. Sullivan Jr.
Alaska lets voters rank their preferences rather than pick one candidate. Voters will see four choices, including Sullivan, Peltola and the other Dan Sullivan, whom Republicans have labeled a decoy in what they believe is a Democratic attempt to confuse voters.
Trump wrote early Sunday on Truth Social that the ranked choice ballot is a "TOTAL DEMOCRAT SCAM" and urged a "YES" vote against ranked choice voting on Ballot Measure 2.
On money, Peltola has outraised Sullivan through October, $33 million to nearly $14 million. Sullivan reported more cash on hand, $5.1 million to Peltola's $3.2 million. Republicans have outspent Democrats in the race, $42 million to $38 million.
