Mary Peltola has paused her US Senate campaign in Alaska after a car crash left her and family with “minor injuries,” BBC News reported, citing a statement from her campaign on Saturday.
What happened
Peltola, 53, was traveling with family to a campaign event when another driver struck their vehicle, her campaign said, per BBC reporting. Campaign manager Cheryl Bruce said Peltola has rescheduled events on medical advice “as she takes time to recover.” Bruce added: “Mary and her family sustained minor injuries but are in good spirits.”
Why this race matters
Peltola is running to unseat Republican incumbent Senator Dan Sullivan. BBC News characterized Alaska’s Senate contest as “one of the most closely watched races” ahead of the 3 November midterm elections, and noted that The Cook Political Report classifies it as a “toss-up.”
The ballot-name fight
BBC News also reported that former President Donald Trump told the Justice Department to file a federal lawsuit last week to block certification of Alaska’s Senate election if Sullivan loses, arguing that another candidate with the same name could confuse voters. The suit said including another Dan Sullivan on the ballot could lead some to cast votes for the wrong candidate, according to the BBC. Previous efforts to remove that second Sullivan, described by the BBC as a retired teacher, were rejected by the Alaska Supreme Court.
Attribution
All details above are from BBC News reporting published 26 October 2026.
