Mary Peltola

A groundbreaking champion fighting for Alaskans

Rep. Mary Peltola is a Yup’ik woman and former state legislator who was born and raised in rural Alaska, the place where she has chosen to raise her own family. She grew up fishing commercially with her father and went on to work as a herring and salmon technician for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game while in college. Rep. Peltola began her distinguished career in public service at the age of 24 when she was first elected to the Alaska House of Representatives. She served in the state House for a decade, from 1999 to 2009, championing economic opportunity for all Alaskans. She made history as the first Alaskan Native and first woman to represent Alaska in Congress after winning the special election for Alaska’s At-Large Congressional District this year. She is now serving the remainder of the current term in Congress and ran to continue giving Alaskans a powerful voice in Congress in the upcoming full term.

A proven legislative leader and coalition builder

Rep. Peltola is a proven legislative leader and coalition builder who puts Alaskans first. During her time in the state House she helped rebuild and chaired the bipartisan Bush Caucus, a coalition of lawmakers representing majority-rural districts in the legislature. She previously served as the executive director of the Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, where she has helped bring together 118 tribes to work on the protection of salmon runs in Western Alaska. She’s working tirelessly to address food insecurity in Alaska, champion the future of the state’s economy, and to protect reproductive rights in Congress. “When Alaskans work together, we win. That’s why I know the broad coalition we’re building has the real chance of building the momentum we need to win in November,” Rep. Peltola has said. “For the sake of our natural resources, our workers, and our right to choose, we have to.” 

A must win reelection fight

Rep. Peltola won an August special election to become the first woman and first Alaskan Native, as well as the first Democrat in half a century, elected in Alaska’s At-Large Congressional District. We showed this trailblazer the full support of the EMILY’s List community, and helped this champion for Alaskans win again in November.