Alaska Senate candidate Mary Peltola delays campaign stops after car crash

Mary Peltola, a Democrat who is running for Alaska’s lone US Senate seat, and her family suffered minor injuries in a car crash while driving to a campaign stop on Saturday, 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, her campaign said in a statement on Sunday. Peltola required medical attention after the collision.

“Mary and her family sustained minor injuries but are in good spirits,” Cheryl Bruce, Peltola’s campaign manager, said in a statement. “Unfortunately, per the advice of medical professionals, Mary’s upcoming events in Fairbanks and Bethel will be rescheduled for later in the week as she takes time to recover.”

Bruce added: “Mary is disappointed that 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 about her plan to take on the rigged system and lower costs for working families.”

Police responded to a “multi-vehicle collision” at about 6.55pm on Saturday, according to the Anchorage police department. Peltola’s family and the occupant of a second vehicle were taken to a local hospital “with non-life-threatening injuries”, according to the authorities, while the occupant of a third vehicle refused medical transport.

Mary Peltola, center, celebrates with her family and supporters as ranked-choice tabulations were announced in November 2022 in Anchorage, Alaska. Photograph: Loren Holmes/AP

“The circumstances of the collision are under investigation,” reads a statement from the police department.

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 that has become one of the most watched in the nation.

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 who is listed on the ranked-choice ballot as Daniel J Sullivan Jr, who is a retired schoolteacher.

Peltola’s incident delayed what her campaign announced as the “Alaska Always tour,” an eight-stop push through the last week before election day. Her campaign said she will resume events on Tuesday, with a stop in Homer, Alaska.