Former Rep. Mary Peltola is rescheduling several campaign events after she and her family suffered what her campaign described as minor injuries in a car crash. The campaign announced the changes on Sunday.
Campaign manager Cheryl Bruce said in a statement that Peltola and her family "are in good spirits." She added that on the advice of medical professionals, Peltola's upcoming events in Fairbanks and Bethel will be pushed to later in the week so she can recover.
Bruce said the candidate is disappointed that the accident is delaying the start of her Alaska Always Tour. According to Bruce, Peltola is eager to return to the trail to speak directly with Alaskans about her plan to take on the "rigged system" and lower costs for working families.
The crash happened Saturday while Peltola was on her way to the Alaska Federation of Natives' annual banquet. The campaign said another driver struck the vehicle carrying the candidate and her family. A campaign spokesperson said there was no reason to believe the collision was politically motivated.
Police in Anchorage confirmed on Sunday that a collision involving three vehicles took place on Saturday evening. Those involved suffered injuries that were not life-threatening, police said, and the incident remains under investigation.
Peltola, a Democrat, is in a competitive Senate race against Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan. She won her House seat in 2022 but narrowly lost her bid for re-election in 2024, the same year President Donald Trump carried Alaska by 13 percentage points.
Sullivan is seeking a third term, and his race has tightened more than expected. Alaska voters are linking Trump to high gas and grocery prices that stem from the ongoing war with Iran. Trump and Vice President JD Vance each held separate rallies in Alaska earlier this month.
The race has also been shaped by a dispute over the ballot. Republicans have accused Democrats of recruiting a second candidate named Dan Sullivan, arguing that voters planning to back the incumbent could be confused. Democrats have not claimed credit for recruiting him. He will appear as Dan J. Sullivan, while the incumbent will be listed with his name, party and a clear notation that he is the incumbent.
Last week, the Justice Department sued Alaska's election officials, seeking to block certification of the election if Sen. Sullivan loses. The suit cited Dan J. Sullivan's presence on the ballot as a source of "voter confusion." On Saturday, Democrats filed a motion urging a federal judge to dismiss the case.
