Mary Peltola's Senate Campaign Fires Top Aides After August Blowup, Faces Abuse Allegations
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Sep 24
Mary Peltola's Senate Campaign Fires Top Aides After August Blowup, Faces Abuse Allegations
1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Sep 24
Summary
Days before Alaska's August primary, Mary Peltola's Senate campaign fired or demoted several longtime aides after a dispute that former staffers said followed one of her outbursts.
Nine former staff members told the New York Times that Peltola repeatedly berated aides, used slurs and, in one 2024 incident, shoved an employee; the campaign denied any pattern of abuse.
The campaign said Peltola's conduct during some episodes reflected grief after the 2023 deaths of her mother and husband, while acknowledging she regretted using at least one inappropriate term.
The turmoil extended beyond the Senate race: LegiStorm data showed Peltola had one of the House's highest staff turnover rates in 2023, and former aides said low morale persisted even as she raised millions and finished first in the Aug. 18 primary.