Alaska Senate Voter Guide: Sullivan, Peltola, Heikes and Sullivan Jr. on Iran and Fishing
Four candidates are on the ballot for U.S. Senate in Alaska on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026: Republican Gerald Heikes, Democrat Mary Peltola, Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. and Republican Sen. Dan S. Sullivan, the incumbent. Alaska ranks its general election candidates, so voters can mark a first choice and backups.
Two of the candidates share a name. The senator appears as "Dan S. Sullivan," a registered Republican and the incumbent. Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. is a retired teacher from Petersburg, and no party is printed next to his name on the ballot, PBS News reported. Republicans tried for months to remove him from the ballot and lost at the Alaska Supreme Court. He says he is running on his own.
The Digital Free Press voter guide video compares the four side by side on the war with Iran and on fishing and bycatch. Here is where each one stands.
Gerald Heikes (Republican)
Heikes is a drywall contractor from Palmer, according to the Alaska Independent. He ran for Alaska's U.S. House seat in 2020, Alaska Public Media reported.
On the war with Iran, Heikes told the Alaska Independent in a September phone interview that while the war has not been explained very well, President Donald Trump's actions have been unfairly attacked by Democrats. "He believes that they are a nuclear threat," Heikes said. "He's the president and he's made a decision on things that we don't know about."
On fishing and bycatch, we found no public statement from Heikes, and no official campaign website for him.
Mary Peltola (Democrat)
Peltola is a former U.S. representative and a former fishing boat captain who grew up along the Kuskokwim River, according to her Alaska Beacon answers.
On Iran, the video says Peltola would back a war powers resolution and says the war raises prices for Alaskans. She told the Beacon the conflict "is doing more harm than good by raising the prices of everything from gas and fuel to groceries," adding, "I would support a war powers resolution."
On fishing, the video says Peltola vows to ban Lower 48 factory trawlers and cut bycatch, the fish caught by accident. She told the Beacon that "Lower 48 factory trawlers and excessive bycatch are hurting Alaska" and says she has taken no money from out-of-state trawlers.
Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. (No Party Listed)
Sullivan Jr. is a retired teacher who also worked about 13 years as a U.S. Forest Service forestry technician, according to his Alaska Beacon answers.
On Iran, the video says Sullivan Jr. calls the war ill-conceived and poorly planned and does not support it. He told the Beacon, "The war in Iran was ill-conceived and poorly planned. I do not support it."
On fishing, the video says Sullivan Jr. wants bycatch limits strictly enforced and fisheries monitoring fully funded. His Beacon answer says "bycatch limits should be strictly enforced" and federal monitoring programs "should be fully funded and staffed."
Dan S. Sullivan (Republican, Incumbent)
Sullivan is seeking a third term in the Senate.
On Iran, the video says Sullivan supports the war as needed to keep Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. In a debate he said "the largest state sponsor of terrorism should not have nuclear weapons," but added, "it needs to end soon," NBC News reported. He has voted against war powers resolutions on the war. At an Oct. 13 rally in Wasilla, he said "the conflict in the Middle East is temporary" and that the best way to address Alaska's energy challenges "is to produce more Alaskan energy by and for Alaskans," the Alaska Beacon reported.
On fishing, the video says Sullivan introduced a bill to reduce bycatch. At a Kodiak fisheries debate, he pointed to his Bycatch Reduction Act and a bill to create a Seafood Policy Office, Alaska Public Media reported. After the bill was blocked on the Senate floor in September, Sullivan said in a statement from his Senate office, "Alaskans have made it loud and clear to me that we need to take action to reduce mid-water and bottom trawl bycatch and gear contact with the seafloor to better protect our fisheries."
Where to Follow the Candidates
Mary Peltola: @MaryPeltola on X and @mary_peltola on TikTok. Dan S. Sullivan: @DanSullivan_AK on X. Gerald Heikes and Daniel J. Sullivan Jr.: no verified campaign account found on X.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. This guide is for information only; The Digital Free Press does not endorse any candidate.
Yossi Schmidt, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, The Digital Free Press
Hold Everyone Accountable.
Sources: Alaska Beacon, U.S. Senator, Voter Guide: 2026 General Election: https://alaskabeacon.com/voter-guides/contests/2026-u-s-senate/ ; PBS News, "What's going on with Dan Sullivan and Dan Sullivan? The Alaska Senate litigation explained": https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/whats-going-on-with-dan-sullivan-and-dan-sullivan-the-alaska-senate-litigation-explained ; NBC News, "Alaska Senate candidates clash over the Iran war, high prices": https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-election/alaska-senate-candidates-clash-iran-war-high-prices-trump-rcna603839 ; Alaska Public Media, "Peltola and Sullivan confront trawl bycatch, and each other, at Kodiak fisheries debate" (Sept. 14, 2026): https://alaskapublic.org/news/politics/2026-09-14/peltola-and-sullivan-confront-trawl-bycatch-and-each-other-at-kodiak-fisheries-debate ; Alaska Division of Elections, 2026 General Election candidate list: https://www.elections.alaska.gov/election-candidates/ ; Mary Peltola campaign: https://marypeltola.com/ ; Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. campaign: https://www.sullivanforsenate.com/ ; Dan Sullivan campaign: https://dansullivanforalaska.com/ ; Alaska Independent, "Where the Alaska US Senate candidates stand on the issues" (Sept. 9, 2026): https://alaskaindependentnews.com/elections/where-the-alaska-us-senate-candidates-stand-on-the-issues/ ; Alaska Public Media, "Here are the races to watch in the primary election" (Aug. 18, 2020): https://alaskapublic.org/news/2020-08-18/here-are-the-races-to-watch-in-the-primary-election ; Alaska Beacon, "In Alaska campaign rally, Trump and Sullivan say Iran war is worth the cost to Americans" (Oct. 15, 2026): https://alaskabeacon.com/2026/10/15/in-alaska-campaign-rally-trump-and-sullivan-say-iran-war-is-worth-the-cost-to-americans/ ; Office of Sen. Dan Sullivan, "Senate Democrats Block Sullivan's Bycatch Reduction Act" (Sept. 23, 2026): https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senate-democrats-block-sullivans-bycatch-reduction-act/
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