What should Mary Peltola do in 2026?

[Tekken_Guy]

What should Mary Peltola do in 2026?

[Mexican Wolf]

In order of best to worst option:

1. Rematch with Begich, since she ran well ahead of Harris in a bad environment and 2026 could be a rough midterm for Rs depending on how things go.
2. Run for Governor, since Dunleavy is term-limited in 2026.
3. Challenge Sullivan for Senate, which will probably be the most difficult of the three races to win.

[Rhode Islander First, American Second]

Whatever race is easiest to win, which right now seems like governor.

[KakyoinMemeHouse]

Challenge Sullivan to take the Senate majority.

[smoltchanov]

Whatever race is easiest to win, which right now seems like governor.

[Spectator]

In order of best to worst option:

1. Rematch with Begich, since she ran well ahead of Harris in a bad environment and 2026 could be a rough midterm for Rs depending on how things go.
2. Run for Governor, since Dunleavy is term-limited in 2026.
3. Challenge Sullivan for Senate, which will probably be the most difficult of the three races to win.

Her path of least resistance is Governor since she’d be a quasi-incumbent anyway. Two terms as Governor then run to replace Murkowski in 2034 after she retires then would be my guess.

[Progressive Pessimist]

I think she should challenge Sullivan, but she seems set on Governor. Maybe if she wins she could make some sort of bargain with Murkowski where she resigns and Peltola appoints an Independent in her place, or something.

[ProgressiveModerate]

Challenging Sullivan would have the biggest potential upside from the standpoint of the national party, but it's also probably the hardest of the 3 races to win given Sullivan is relatively inoffensive and Senate races tend to get heavily nationalized, even relative to US House. It'd really put her on the spot around a lot of questions she may not want to answer.

[politics_king]

Go for the Senate. The apathy could be there if Trump becomes a total clusterf***.

[New World Man]

Governor.

[Spectator]

Challenging Sullivan would have the biggest potential upside from the standpoint of the national party, but it's also probably the hardest of the 3 races to win given Sullivan is relatively inoffensive and Senate races tend to get heavily nationalized, even relative to US House. It'd really put her on the spot around a lot of questions she may not want to answer.

An indy Osborne type might be the only play against him. Al Gross was prolly too associated with national Dems anyway last time.

If a Senate seat is her long-term goal, going for Governor and building up popularity is the best thing she can do.

[Joe Biden 2028]

Assuming RCV stays, I would prefer her to run for senate in 2026 but thats the hardest. The easiest would be running for house in 2026

[politics_king]

Assuming RCV stays, I would prefer her to run for senate in 2026 but thats the hardest. The easiest would be running for house in 2026

It might be the only time for the Dems to take that seat for 6 years and gives her time to build a resume. You can run someone else against Beglich that can be formidable. This all depends if people dislike the new Administration that much.

[Joe Biden 2028]

Assuming RCV stays, I would prefer her to run for senate in 2026 but thats the hardest. The easiest would be running for house in 2026

It might be the only time for the Dems to take that seat for 6 years and gives her time to build a resume. You can run someone else against Beglich that can be formidable. This all depends if people dislike the new Administration that much.

One thing to factor is that RCV might not be around in 2028. The measure to repeal it failed 50.1-49.9%, around 600 votes. I bet there will be another refrendum in 2026

If Peltola wants a senate seat (thats a big IF) 2026 is her best chance. 

It also depends if Casey wins in PA and who is appointed in Ohio

[henster]

I feel like the prospect for her of not having to fly cross country every week to go home has to be a pretty motivating factor to run for Governor. The GOP field for Governor right now looks pretty week with it either being the Lt. Gov who lost to Begich a few months ago or some random state lawmaker

[Zenobiyl]

Assuming RCV stays, I would prefer her to run for senate in 2026 but thats the hardest. The easiest would be running for house in 2026

It might be the only time for the Dems to take that seat for 6 years and gives her time to build a resume. You can run someone else against Beglich that can be formidable. This all depends if people dislike the new Administration that much.

One thing to factor is that RCV might not be around in 2028. The measure to repeal it failed 50.1-49.9%, around 600 votes. I bet there will be another refrendum in 2026

If Peltola wants a senate seat (thats a big IF) 2026 is her best chance. 

It also depends if Casey wins in PA and who is appointed in Ohio

On the contrary, another ballot measure would likely fail in 2026 since it will be a bluer year. And by 2028 it will be too entrenched. I think this was their last chance to repeal RCV.

[CheapDollarEra?]

She would get way more DNC money running for the Senate.

[Spectator]

She would get way more DNC money running for the Senate.

Money will not be an issue for Mary Peltola no matter which of the three races she decides to run in

[Mr.Bakari-Sellers]

Begich is not Maga it's gonna be difficult for her to beat him in a runoff scenario and so is Sullivan but Sullivan is clearly more vulnerable than Begoch

[CentristRepublican]

I was thinking she should go for Senate against Sullivan but perhaps (based on this thread) Governor's a good stepping stone towards that.

Idk though, I really don't think the jump from House to Senate would be as bad as ppl say, given that she represented AK at-large. I get the vibe that in some of these one-district states the representative serves as a sort of third senator (Don Young was directly referred to as such).

Certainly a rematch with Begich isn't worth it. House Dems most likely are winning their majority with or without AK and Peltola would just be back on thin ice (ha!) two years later anyway...and a second electoral loss might make her damaged goods.

[He's turned to dust now, one of the chosen few]

The governor's race will have a wide open field + less nationalized race in the state with the weirdest politics + probably can't be that hard to hit home on how bad Dunleavy's austerity policies, attempted politicization of the courts, etc.* have been for everyone

*would/should say "handling of COVID" cause it was awful but idk how much people will care by then