Alaska Senate Candidate Mary Peltola and Her Family Sustain Minor Injuries in a Car Crash on the Way to a Campaign Stop
Mary Peltola, the Democrat running for Alaska's lone US Senate seat, and her family suffered minor injuries in a car crash on Saturday while driving to a campaign stop, her campaign said.
The family was on its way to the Alaska Federation of Natives annual banquet when another vehicle crashed into the one transporting Peltola and her family. In a statement on Sunday, the campaign said Peltola required medical attention after the collision.
Peltola's campaign manager Cheryl Bruce said in a statement that Mary and her family sustained minor injuries but are in good spirits. She said that, on the advice of medical professionals, Peltola's upcoming events in Fairbanks and Bethel will be rescheduled for later in the week as she takes time to recover.
Bruce added that Mary is disappointed the accident is delaying the start of her 'Alaska Always' tour, and she is eager to get back on the campaign trail to speak directly with Alaskans. The campaign said she will resume events on Tuesday, with a stop in Homer.
The Anchorage police department said officers responded to a multi-vehicle collision at about 6:55pm on Saturday. According to the authorities, Peltola's family and the occupant of a second vehicle were taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, while the occupant of a third vehicle refused medical transport. The police statement said the circumstances of the collision are under investigation.
Peltola, an Alaska Native and former congresswoman, is challenging Republican incumbent senator Dan Sullivan, hoping to become the first Democrat in nearly two decades to represent the state in the Senate. Both candidates have tried to rally support from Alaska Native voters, a key constituency in the high-stakes race.
On Friday, Donald Trump ordered the justice department to block the certification of the Senate election in Alaska if Sullivan loses. The lawsuit cites potential confusion with another Republican candidate listed on the ranked-choice ballot as Daniel J Sullivan Jr, a retired schoolteacher.
