Alaska’s U.S. Senate candidates, Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan and Democrat Mary Peltola, clashed during a debate Thursday over her use of notes, allegations concerning her former staff and the prospects for a proposed liquefied natural gas pipeline. The race is considered close, and Republicans are seeking to retain their narrow Senate majority.
Sullivan criticized Peltola on X after she appeared to consult a small paper with bullet points while answering questions. “Really, Mary? Reading off a script? You can't cue-card your way through the Senate,” he wrote. Peltola defended herself during the debate, saying she was better “prepared.”
The exchange drew criticism from Republican voices on social media. National Republican Senatorial Committee official Joanna Rodriguez suggested Peltola was relying on talking points, while another user mocked her apparent use of notes when discussing personal details. The Republican Party’s research arm also posted a clip of Peltola referring to notes while discussing Alaska’s fishing industry. Its post asserted that she had not introduced a bill benefiting Alaska fishermen during her first term in Congress.
At another point, Sullivan asked moderators whether the candidates had received the debate questions in advance. Alaska’s News Source reporter Wil Courtney and Alaska Public Media chief editor Lori Townsend both said they had not. Sullivan responded that he was watching his opponent. Peltola interjected that she was prepared.
The debate grew contentious over claims about Peltola’s treatment of former staff. Sullivan cited reporting by The New York Times and said 25 employees had left while working for her. Peltola called the allegations “outright fabrications or mass exaggerations of the truth” and argued that voters should not judge the election by her “worst day.” Sullivan said the claims showed a pattern, while Peltola accused him of using the controversy for political purposes. Moderators urged both candidates to maintain decorum and warned they could turn off microphones if interruptions continued.
The candidates also discussed a proposed Alaska liquefied natural gas pipeline and whether South Korea would invest in it. Moderators said South Korea had not committed to investing, despite President Donald Trump’s public promotion of a potential deal. Sullivan defended the administration’s efforts, saying Seoul had committed funding through a broader trade agreement, while acknowledging that the amount specifically tied to the project was still being negotiated.
Peltola supported the pipeline but cautioned against presenting unconfirmed investment as settled. She said Alaska should not be “promoting falsehoods that just have no substance.” Both candidates cited the project’s potential economic benefits, but their exchange highlighted that the proposed foreign investment was not yet finalized.
Peltola, a former congresswoman, first won a House seat after Republican Rep. Don Young died, becoming the first Democrat in decades to represent Alaska in that chamber, according to the supplied report. The report described her Senate race against Sullivan as a major Democratic pickup opportunity and said The Cook Political Report rated it a toss-up. It also noted that a separate candidate with Sullivan’s name but a different middle initial is in the contest, adding another complication to the race.
Fox News Digital said it contacted Peltola’s campaign for comment. The supplied report did not include a response from the campaign.
