Los Angeles, US (EFE).- Voters in Alaska and Wyoming, two Republican strongholds, head to the polls on Tuesday to decide primary contests crucial for the United States Senate, defined by the influence of President Donald Trump.
Despite its Republican leanings, Alaska is once again in the sights of Democrats aiming to win a Senate seat and retake control of the upper chamber.
Sixteen candidates are vying for the seat held by Republican Senator Dan Sullivan, who is seeking a third term with President Trump’s endorsement.
However, his path to victory faces a potential challenge from former Democratic Representative Mary Peltola, who held the state’s sole House seat from 2022 to 2025 and is now mounting a Senate bid.
Peltola has gained momentum in polling and fundraising with a moderate message.
President Trump has backed Sullivan, dismissing another Republican contender, Dan J. Sullivan, as a Democratic «hoax» intended to confuse voters and siphon off the senator’s support.
Alaska voters will also decide on a successor to Governor Mike Dunleavy, who is term-limited.
Wyoming
Voters in Wyoming, one of the nation’s most conservative states, face a rare scenario on Tuesday as they simultaneously select candidates for Governor, the US Senate, and the US House of Representatives for the first time in over three decades.
Specifically, voters will determine the replacements for Governor Mark Gordon, who is not seeking reelection, and Senator Cynthia Lummis, who announced she would not pursue a second term.
Congresswoman Harriet Hageman, a Trump loyalist, opted against reelection to compete for the seat vacated by Lummis.
In these races, Democrats have little chance; the contests are largely internal Republican battles, particularly between those holding the president’s endorsement and their challengers, such as the gubernatorial race between favorite Eric Barlow and Trump ally Megan Degenfelder.
California Special Election
Voters in a San Francisco Bay Area district will elect a replacement on Tuesday for former Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell, who resigned in April following sexual assault allegations.
Swalwell also withdrew his candidacy for Governor of California, where he had been leading the polls to replace term-limited Democrat Gavin Newsom.
The leading contenders are State Senator Aisha Wahab and Melissa Hernandez, the BART transit system director and former mayor of Dublin, both Democrats.
The winner will serve the remainder of Swalwell’s term, which ends in January. EFE
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