Outside money keeps flowing into the Alaska Senate race — mostly against Sullivan

Independent groups reported nearly $210,000 in new spending on Alaska's U.S. Senate race this week, the latest sign that outside money is becoming a defining force in the contest between Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan and Democratic challenger Mary Peltola — money that neither campaign controls and that is flowing, for now, largely in Peltola's favor.

Federal filings show AB PAC spent an estimated $181,022 on television ads opposing Sullivan, bringing its year's spending against him to $588,045. A second group, Midnight Sun PAC, reported an estimated $28,854 on mail supporting Peltola. Both are independent expenditures, which by law cannot be coordinated with a candidate's campaign.

The new spending fits a pattern this race has shown all year: Peltola has led in money flowing her way, while Sullivan has held other advantages. In earlier filings Peltola outraised the senator, but Sullivan ended the last reporting period with more cash banked, and much of Peltola's own fundraising has come from outside Alaska — a dynamic Alaska News has previously reported. Sullivan, a second-term senator who was outraised in both his 2014 and 2020 wins, has said he expects to be outspent again and still plans to win.

Outside money is poised to grow for both sides. A U.S. Supreme Court decision this year lifted limits on spending coordinated between parties and their candidates, opening the door to far more party money in competitive races — and the national committees backing both Sullivan and Peltola are well funded heading into the fall.

The race carries a sharper edge after Sullivan asked the Federal Election Commission in June to investigate whether Democratic-aligned groups improperly coordinated with a spoiler candidate, alleging what he called "an unlawful scheme to rig the election." The groups he named have denied wrongdoing. Nothing in this week's filings connects that dispute to the two PACs that reported the new spending. The primary is Aug. 18, with the top four advancing to a ranked-choice general Nov. 3.