President Donald Trump traveled to Wasilla, Alaska, on Tuesday to headline a midterm rally for Republican Senator Dan Sullivan, whose reelection race against Democratic challenger Mary Peltola has tightened. The unusual late-campaign visit comes as both parties prepare to spend over $115 million on the state’s fiercely contested elections.
President Donald Trump made a high-profile, last-minute campaign trip to Alaska on Tuesday, crossing four time zones to shore up support for incumbent Republican Senator Dan Sullivan. The journey from Washington included a flight on Air Force One to Joint Base Andrews, followed by a helicopter ride to the Mat-Su Valley and an appearance at the Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center for a speech that ran nearly 90 minutes.
Tight Polling and the High Stakes for Control of Congress
Senator Sullivan is locked in an unexpectedly tight battle against former Democratic Congresswoman Mary Peltola. While Alaska has voted reliably Republican in presidential elections since 1968, pollster Ivan Moore noted that declining local support for Trump mirrors falling national approval ratings. This dynamic leaves the outcome dependent on voters who supported the president in 2024 but have since grown disillusioned.
Independent surveys have shown Peltola holding a significant edge or leading in the race, though Republicans maintain that Sullivan has gained ground in recent weeks.
The visit is certainly appropriate.
Vice President JD Vance also traveled to Fairbanks to support Sullivan, who is seeking a third Senate term. The Trump administration has made expanding oil and gas drilling in Alaska a priority, while Sullivan recently joined the president at the White House for the announcement of a proposed $54 billion energy project. Trump told the crowd he had flown eight hours to rally for Sullivan, whom he called one of the best and most respected senators in D.C.
Reflecting the intensity of the mobilization on the ground, residents like Juneau residents Cindy Fuller and Shannan Greene arrived outside Church on the Rock by 4 a.m. to board shuttle buses to the venue. Palmer residents Sherman and Michelle Leifer attended the event with 10 of their children and grandchildren, while other supporters traveled from remote areas including King Cove, Petersburg, Soldotna, Wasilla, and Wasilla Lake, where enthusiastic crowds formed early in the day ahead of the noon door opening.
Federal Announcements and Economic Pressures Facing Alaskans
At the same time, voters are navigating severe economic headwinds. Gasoline prices remain elevated across the state, with figures reaching $5.19 in Wasilla, $8.82 in Dillingham, and $8.94 in Kotzebue, according to protest signs displayed by local residents.
Protesters staged demonstrations to voice their frustration with the economic climate, including a gathering of roughly 100 people at Anchorage’s Delaney Park Strip organized under a gas price protest theme. Opponents of the administration held signs critiquing the current political climate, with participants like Meryl Thompson explicitly condemning the administration, while labor figures such as Joelle Hall, emeritus president of the Alaska AFL-CIO, noted widespread exhaustion among citizens regarding federal policies. Union caregivers like Ana Rodriguez also joined rallies with homemade signs opposing the presidential visit.
Contests for the House, Governor’s Office, and Ranked-Choice Dynamics
Beyond the Senate contest, the political landscape is complicated by Alaska’s open primary and ranked-choice voting system.
Because the open primary system allows the top four vote-getters to advance regardless of party affiliation, the ballot features a unique complication: a retired teacher named Dan J. Sullivan has also qualified for the contest. Trump and allies of the incumbent senator have accused this second candidate of running as a sham challenger to confuse voters.
Trump also used his trip to weigh in on other races. He campaigned for Republican Representative Nick Begich, who faces a competitive challenge from independent candidate Bill Hill. Additionally, before arriving in Wasilla, Trump posted a social media endorsement for Anchorage businesswoman Bernadette Wilson in the state’s open gubernatorial race to succeed term-limited Mike Dunleavy, joining other Republican gubernatorial hopefuls Treg Taylor and Dave Bronson who also attended the rally.
While thousands of enthusiastic supporters lined up outside the sports complex hours before the doors opened, protesters gathered near Wasilla Lake and in downtown Anchorage to voice discontent with the administration.
The current visit serves as a notable contrast to Trump’s 2022 midterm journey to Anchorage, where he stumped for Kelly Tshibaka against incumbent Lisa Murkowski—an effort that ultimately fell short when Murkowski secured victory—and backed Sarah Palin in her unsuccessful bid for the U.S. House seat against Mary Peltola. With control of the Senate hanging in the balance, the president’s return to the Last Frontier highlights the state’s continuing status as a central battleground.
