The Economic Times

Who is Mary Peltola? Democrat leader who lost her husband in a plane crash and her mother in the same year; now faces a tough US Senate battle

Mary Peltola is a Democratic politician from Alaska. She made history in 2022 by becoming the first Alaska native and first woman elected to represent the state in the US House. She served in Congress from 2022 to 2025. She lost her re-election bid in 2024 to Republican Nick Begich. In January 2026, she announced her decision to challenge Republican Senator Dan Sullivan.