Peltola declines to endorse Harris, says she’s ‘open’ to voting for Trump

Congresswoman Mary Peltola speaks to a associated convention of nan Alaska Legislature connected Feb. 26, 2024. (Clarise Larson/KTOO)

Democratic Alaska Congresswoman Mary Peltola won’t opportunity who she’s voting for this November aft President Joe Biden stepped speech and endorsed his vice president, Kamala Harris.

At a Zoom news convention pinch Alaska news outlets Tuesday morning, Peltola said she’s “keeping an unfastened mind.”

“Looking astatine this statesmanlike race, my position is whoever nan president is, that is nan personification that I americium willing successful moving pinch to thief Alaska move forward,” Peltola said. “Whether that president is Donald Trump, aliases if that president happens to beryllium Kamala Harris … location will beryllium a batch of communal ground. There will beryllium a batch of things that we collectively work together on.”

Peltola was asked doubly whether she would ballot for Harris aliases Donald Trump. Peltola said her ballot for president would dangle connected nan candidates’ stances connected power issues.

“While I really admit her stance connected women’s reproductive rights, Social Security, voting authorities and a big of different things, arsenic nan typical for Alaska, my number 1 occupation is looking astatine our system and our power business and which, you know, which of nan 2 candidates will beryllium amended successful position of our power portfolio,” Peltola said. “That is an honorable answer. I americium not being coy.”

Peltola besides suggested Harris’ prime of a moving mate could power her determination successful November.

“I would emotion it if she chose a pro-choice Republican, truthful we could get distant from immoderate of nan inflammatory partisanship that we’ve seen,” she said.

Peltola told CNN earlier connected Tuesday that “as a quality being, I do support her,” referring to Harris, but stopped short of endorsing her.

Republicans person decried actions by nan Biden management aimed astatine restricting lipid and state improvement successful Alaska. In April, nan management said it would impose caller restrictions connected lipid and state leasing connected 13 cardinal acres of nan National Petroleum Reserve—Alaska.

Peltola is facing 2 Republican challengers: Alaska Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom, a favourite of constitution Republicans and Donald Trump, and Nick Begich III, endorsed by nan run limb of nan blimpish anti-establishment House Freedom Caucus.

At Tuesday’s news conference, Peltola besides walked backmost her reported endorsement of Biden successful 2023, soon aft Biden launched his reelection campaign. 

“I person not ever officially endorsed anyone,” she said Tuesday.

She told nan Anchorage Daily News astatine nan clip that his support for nan Willow lipid task successful nan National Petroleum Reserve—Alaska had earned her vote, saying “President Biden has impressed maine pinch his support for Willow and his committedness to civil, constructive discussions.” 

“I’ll support him arsenic agelong arsenic he continues to see Alaskans successful those discussions,” Peltola said astatine nan time.

But Peltola said Tuesday that nan Biden management grounded to unrecorded up to that commitment.

“So galore things person transpired successful nan past year, astir notably nan 68 different ways that nan management has moved to unopen down Alaska’s economy,” referring to a frequent refrain of her Alaska delegation colleague, Republican U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan.

But Peltola, a Democrat moving for reelection successful a authorities Donald Trump carried by 10 percent points successful 2020, downplayed nan value of immoderate endorsement she mightiness make, saying Alaska would not beryllium competitory successful nan statesmanlike election.

“I conscionable deliberation successful a authorities arsenic mini arsenic Alaska, we each thin to cognize each other, and I don’t deliberation that endorsements transportation nan aforesaid weight that they do in, successful a batch of different places,” she said. “And I besides conscionable consciousness really powerfully that successful a authorities wherever there’s complete 60% of our voters who are independent, nonpartisan and undeclared, it’s really important to enactment distant from, really, you know, entrenched partisanship.”

Peltola besides said Biden had aged markedly since nan past clip nan 2 interacted successful September 2023, soon aft her husband, Eugene “Buzzy” Peltola Jr., died successful a level crash. 

“I deliberation that, conscionable for illustration kids person maturation spurts, I deliberation that we person property spurts,” she said Tuesday. “It was very evident location had been rather a spot of aging that has gone connected successful caller months.”

Peltola commended Biden’s agelong profession successful nationalist office.

“It reminds maine a batch of nan life committedness that Ted Stevens gave to Alaska, nan life committedness that Don Young gave to Alaska, and I really admit his committedness to nationalist service,” she said.