Alaska's Sullivan and Peltola clash over Iran and high prices in testy Senate debate

Alaska's two leading U.S. Senate candidates traded sharp accusations of dishonesty on Thursday in Anchorage, in a debate over a seat that could help decide which party controls the closely divided chamber. Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, a two-term incumbent, faced Democrat Mary Peltola, a former congresswoman who beat him in August's open primary. Alaska has not sent a Democrat to the Senate since 2008, according to ABC News.

The Iran war and high prices dominated the exchanges. Sullivan called for a quick end to the fighting, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and a deal blocking Iranian nuclear weapons, while promoting more Alaskan energy output as the way to cut costs. Peltola said such an agreement looked far off, noted that 20 military personnel had died, and blamed the Trump administration for higher gas and consumer prices and for straining relations with allies. Sullivan countered that Democratic leaders would weaken the military and restrict domestic energy production. On Ukraine, Peltola criticized President Donald Trump's purchase of Russian diesel.

The two did agree that a third Trump term would be unconstitutional. Afterward, Sullivan said the race turns on record, vision and character, and Peltola disputed his portrayal of her time in Congress.

Summarized by PolitiKool from ABC News’s reporting. Read the full story at ABC News →