Mary Peltola would be the strongest likely candidate for Alaska governor, poll shows

[In It to Win It]

https://19thnews.org/2025/08/mary-peltola-alaska-governor-early-polling/

Former Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola holds a commanding lead in the 2026 election for governor of Alaska if she chooses to jump into the race, a new survey from progressive pollster Data for Progress (DFP) shows.

Peltola, who was elected to Alaska’s at-large U.S. House seat in a 2022 special election and then to a full term in the House before losing her seat in 2024, is widely viewed as the most formidable potential Democratic candidate for either governor or U.S. Senate in 2026. She was the first woman to represent Alaska in the U.S. House, the first Alaska Native person elected to Congress and could be the state’s first Alaska Native governor.

“I think that’s a huge thing, not just for representation, but for policy and people’s lives,” said Jason Katz-Brown, an Alaska-based senior adviser at DFP.

Peltola had the highest favorability ratings of major Alaska politicians in the survey, which was shared first with The 19th. She holds a net positive favorability of 9 points, and leads a crowded field of lesser-known and less popular Republican gubernatorial opponents by double-digit margins.

Katz-Brown said Peltola’s focus on issues like fisheries management and opposing the proposed merger of grocery chains Kroger and Albertsons has made her especially well-regarded among voters.

[SSJVegeta]

1. I wish she would consider the senate

She has a great shot at anything she runs for.