AOC-Backed Senate Hopeful Peltola Accused of Using N-Word
Allegations surface against Alaska Democrat Mary Peltola, who is facing former staffers' claims of racial slur use.
Mary Peltola, the Alaska Democratic Senate hopeful endorsed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, is facing accusations from former staffers that she used the n-word. The alleged incident occurred in October 2024, following a dinner honoring approximately 4,000 black soldiers, during which Peltola was a U.S. Representative for Alaska.
Peltola's campaign spent $8,000 on tables for the event after Ed Wesley, a Black Army veteran organizing the dinner, reportedly assured her they would be filled. When the tables were not full, Peltola allegedly reacted strongly. An unnamed former staffer told Alaska Landmine that Peltola stated, "I can’t believe that n—-r," and repeatedly referred to Wesley, a former president of the Anchorage NAACP, as a "scammer."
Peltola's campaign has vehemently denied the accusation, characterizing it as a "smear campaign" orchestrated by "an unstable, disgruntled former staffer who was fired." A spokesperson stated, "Mary would never use this word, which is a vile slur with a painful, hateful history."
These allegations follow previous accusations against Peltola for alleged angry outbursts and the use of other offensive terms, including "retard" and "f—t," as well as an alleged instance of shoving a male employee. In January, Ocasio-Cortez publicly supported Peltola, directing her supporters to donate to the campaign.
Peltola, who previously served in the House of Representatives from 2022 to 2025, was the only Democrat endorsed by the National Rifle Association in 2024. During her tenure, she advocated for Arctic drilling and supported the approval of ConocoPhillips' $8 billion Willow Project. Her candidacy is considered a significant effort by national Democrats to gain control of the Senate in the upcoming midterms.
Polls indicate a close race between Peltola and her Republican challenger, Sen. Dan Sullivan, with Peltola leading by only 2 percentage points in the latest surveys. Ocasio-Cortez's office did not respond to requests for comment.
