By Jim Ellis — Wednesday, October 21, 2026
Senate
With the Democrats well positioned to capture the House majority, most of the political attention has shifted to the Senate races and whether the Democrats can gain the four Republican seats required to reach a 51-49 majority.
Much has already been written about the GOP-held seats now considered competitive, so with two weeks remaining in the election cycle, this is an appropriate moment to review the key contests.
Alaska
The Last Frontier ordinarily would not be considered a Democratic conversion opportunity, but former Rep. Mary Peltola has a credible chance to unseat GOP Sen. Dan Sullivan.
Alaska’s election system adds complexity: the top four finishers advance from a single primary regardless of political party preference, and if none of the general election finalists reaches 50 percent, the Ranked Choice Voting process begins. Should RCV be triggered, the final outcome might not be known for roughly two weeks after election day.
The race became significantly more competitive after the primary, where Sen. Sullivan finished eight points behind Peltola. For the incumbent, one encouraging sign is primary turnout: only about 29 percent of registered voters participated, leaving substantial room for him to expand his support. Polling has been frequent, and Peltola generally posts small leads within the margin of error, underscoring how tight the contest remains.