Conservative groups back Sullivan, one with a six-figure ad buy

Two national conservative groups are lining up behind Sen. Dan Sullivan's re-election bid, and one is putting money behind it — a six-figure statewide ad buy from Americans for Prosperity Action promoting his energy and regulatory record.

Concerned Veterans for America Action, a conservative veterans' group, also endorsed Sullivan, citing his Marine Corps service and his record on veterans' issues and energy. Sullivan, a Marine and a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, represents a state with one of the highest per-capita veteran populations in the country. Both groups are ideologically aligned with Sullivan, and the endorsements were announced through his campaign.

The ad spending is the more consequential piece. Outside money like AFP Action's buy shapes what voters see and hear in the closing months, and it lands in a race that's drawn national attention as Sullivan, a Republican, faces Democrat Mary Peltola in a contest that could help determine control of the Senate.