Alaska’s Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola and her family suffered minor injuries Saturday in a car crash while driving to a campaign stop in Anchorage, her campaign said.
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Peltola required medical attention after the accident, which happened when another vehicle crashed into the one transporting Peltola and her family, the campaign said. The family was on their way to the Alaska Federation of Natives Annual Banquet.
Anchorage police said they responded to report of the crash around 6:55 p.m. Saturday, near the intersection of O’Malley Road and Lake Otis Parkway. Officers’ preliminary investigation found that a vehicle was traveling westbound on O’Malley Road and, near the intersection, rear-ended a second vehicle stopped at the light, which then collided with a third vehicle.
Peltola was in the second vehicle, police said. Multiple people, including Peltola, were taken to the hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, according to police.
Peltola, a former congresswoman, is challenging Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, hoping to become the first Democrat in more than a decade 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.
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On Friday, President Donald Trump — who held a rally in support of Sullivan earlier this month — said he told his administration to sue to block certification of the race if the incumbent loses. The lawsuit cites potential confusion with another candidate who is listed on the ranked choice ballot as Daniel J. Sullivan Jr.
Peltola’s campaign manager, Cheryl Bruce, wrote in a statement that the candidate was in “good spirits” following the accident, but her medical providers recommended she reschedule events Sunday and Monday to recover.
The 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 Tuesday, with a stop in Homer.
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