The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) is calling on the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to investigate Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Mary Peltola, accusing her of using her House campaign committee as a personal slush fund after her 2024 defeat at the hands of Rep. Nick Begich.
The NRSC complaint comes as Peltola is vying to unseat U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan.
According to the media outlet, News of the United States (NOTUS), Peltola – described as “cash-strapped” following her loss – directed nearly $200,000 from her House campaign committee, “Mary Peltola for Alaska,” toward expenses including catering, hotels, restaurants, and transportation, much of it outside Alaska and unrelated to any active campaign. NOTUS highlighted spending on D.C. hotels and meals, Lower 48 speaking tours, over $8,000 on catering and meals, and more than $1,300 on ground transportation, with little apparent focus on traditional campaign activities like advertising or voter outreach.
Peltola filed paperwork for a 2026 House run in late 2024 but showed limited campaigning activity before announcing her bid for U.S. Senate against incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan. Critics argue the expenditures occurred during a period when she was not actively seeking office, raising questions about compliance with federal rules prohibiting personal use of campaign funds.
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“Mary Peltola used her committee as a personal slush fund to splurge on D.C. hotels and restaurants while spending nothing on anything that would be conducive to a real campaign,” said NRSC Regional Press Secretary Nick Puglia. “Alaskans deserve transparency and Peltola must be held accountable.”
In a related statement, Puglia added that after being “fired by Alaskans,” Peltola spent more than double the average Alaska salary on such expenses and is “only running for Senate to keep the gravy train rolling.”
The NRSC filed a formal complaint with the FEC on March 27, 2026, requesting the commission find “reason to believe” violations occurred and launch a formal investigation.
The allegations center on federal election law restrictions against converting campaign contributions to personal use. If substantiated, such spending could trigger penalties or repayment requirements.
