A Koch-backed group spent the same for Sullivan as against Peltola in one filing

Americans for Prosperity Action told the Federal Election Commission this week that it spent $15,621 supporting Sen. Dan Sullivan and $15,621 opposing Mary Peltola. Both went to mailer postage and production, both dated Aug. 31, and both filed as 48-hour notices on Sept. 2. The group has now reported $487,656.62 in Alaska spending this calendar year.

The money behind it is concentrated. AFP Action had raised about $87.3 million for the 2026 cycle as of June 30, and two sources account for roughly two-thirds of it: Koch Industries at $30 million and Stand Together at $26.5 million. The Alaska buys are part of a $5.6 million advertising campaign the group announced across seven Senate battlegrounds, alongside North Carolina, Michigan, Ohio, New Hampshire, Montana and Iowa. Alaska's share is about 9 percent.

America PAC reported $17,235 supporting Sullivan in the same window.

Last Frontier PAC has been the heaviest spender against Peltola, with more than $2.1 million reported earlier this cycle and repeated six-figure media buys through the summer. A tracking account reported this week that the committee spent another $155,135 against her on Aug. 28 and put its total in the race near $4 million. Neither of those figures has been checked against an FEC filing.

In the U.S. House race, Wheel Dog PAC reported $61,500 opposing Republican Rep. Nicholas Begich III and $61,500 supporting independent candidate Bill Hill.

Alaska is getting more of this than its size suggests, and that is not an accident. Political scientists Herrnson and Heerwig found that super PACs devoted solely to Senate races make up 26 percent of such groups and account for 25 percent of all outside spending, even though Senate contests are only about 7 percent of congressional elections.

Super PACs may spend without limit as long as they do not coordinate with a candidate, and every expenditure has to be reported to the FEC. Alaska's general election is Nov. 3.