Super PACs report nearly $1 million in Alaska Senate spending on a single day

Three outside spending groups reported nearly $1 million on Alaska's U.S. Senate race in a single day, according to 24-hour notices filed with the Federal Election Commission this week. The primary is 12 days away.

Americans for Prosperity Action reported about $520,000 on Aug. 4 supporting Sen. Dan Sullivan, most of it a single $500,000 ad buy. That brings its year-to-date total for Sullivan to nearly $960,000.

Last Frontier PAC reported about $441,000 the same day opposing Mary Peltola, pushing its year-to-date total against her to roughly $3.2 million.

Fair Deal Alaska reported about $34,000 in printing and postage opposing Peltola. The same filing shows it also spent around $17,000 supporting Carol Hafner, a Democrat also running for the Alaska seat, and a similar amount supporting Richard Grayson, a U.S. Senate candidate in Arizona.

Alaska News reported in early August that super PAC spending on both sides was approaching record levels ahead of the primary.

Some of that advertising has drawn a fact-check. FactCheck.org reviewed ads from Sullivan and Last Frontier PAC and found they "misleadingly" portray Peltola as voting against a military pay raise. She opposed the July 2023 House version of the defense bill but voted for the final compromise, which contained the same 5.2% raise; Sullivan also voted for that compromise. The site added that Peltola's campaign overstated her role, since none of the amendments she co-sponsored dealt with the pay increase.

Alaska's open primary is Aug. 18, and the top four finishers advance to the Nov. 3 general election.