Peltola Extends Senate Lead, Kreiss-Tomkins Tops 50%

In Alaska’s still-unresolved election, Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins has topped 50% of first-choice votes in the governor’s race, putting him in position to win outright if he holds that majority; Republican Bernadette Wilson is the closest challenger at 28.7%. Democrat Mary Peltola has widened her lead over Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan to about 5,800 votes, with 49.1% to Sullivan’s 46.8%, though she remains below the 50% threshold that would avoid ranked-choice tabulation. Peltola’s lead is also larger than the vote total of another candidate named Dan Sullivan, a distinction that could affect the Trump administration’s appeal in a lawsuit concerning alleged voter confusion. Thousands of ballots remain, and the state expects to complete counting on Nov. 18; no winner has been declared in the governor’s race.