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Donald Trump Campaigns In Wasilla, Alaska For Senator Dan Sullivan Ahead Of November 3 Midterms
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Trump travels to Wasilla, Alaska to campaign for Sen. Dan Sullivan ahead of midterms Sullivan faces a tough race against Democrat Mary Peltola in Alaska
Wasilla Rally and Pardons
President Donald Trump traveled to Wasilla, Alaska, to campaign for Senator Dan Sullivan ahead of the midterm elections on November 3, emphasizing Sullivan’s re-election and the Alaska LNG project.
Trump told reporters as he left the White House for the trip on Tuesday, "I'm right now going to Alaska to try and help Dan Sullivan. That's a long way away," and he added, "I would only do it if I thought he was good."
Trump announced pardons for Zachary Czuback and Patrick Fleming, two Alaska residents who had pleaded guilty in 2022 to violating the Clean Air Act by removing or manipulating diesel vehicle emission control systems.
Trump also said the Federal Communications Commission will allocate $162 million to extend connectivity in Alaska, and he described the Alaska LNG project as having "all the federal permits necessary to proceed."
Gas Deal and Connectivity
Trump told the crowd that Taiwan will purchase gas from the Alaska project, saying, "Taiwan has just agreed to buy 30% of the gas coming off the pipeline for the next 20 years," and he said the deal "guarantees success."
Trump also said Taiwan has agreed to invest more than $4 billion in the project, while the Killeen Daily Herald reported that there was no immediate confirmation from Taiwan.
Brendan Carr told the rally that he was committed to working with Alaska's Republican U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan to work toward "getting every single person in Alaska connected to high-speed internet."
Doug Burgum said Trump could get the Alaska Permanent Fund to "double" due to his policies, and Howard Lutnick said the Trump administration supports a gas line project.
Trump’s stop in Wasilla was about 45 miles (72 kilometers) north of Anchorage, and the rally came as Democrats last won a Senate seat in Alaska in 2008 and the state has not elected a governor from that party since 1998.
Race Stakes and Political Signals
Senator Dan Sullivan, seeking a third Senate term, faced Democrat Mary Peltola, a former congresswoman running with the slogan "Alaska First" and emphasizing cost-of-living issues, as Trump’s Alaska trip signaled GOP fears about retaining control of Congress after Election Day on Nov. 3.
“The event in Wasilla, Alaska, is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. EDT.”
Alaska pollster Ivan Moore said, "The visit is certainly appropriate. Whether the visit will be effective or not is another matter," and he said when he first heard Trump would visit Alaska, he didn't believe it would actually happen.
The Washington Post described Trump’s 3,400-mile trip to Wasilla as showing how urgently his party needs to mobilize its base to keep control of the Senate, and it quoted Trump telling the crowd to "pretend" his name is on the ballot this fall.
The Periodistas en Español account said Trump won Alaska by 13.1 points in 2024 and said the race had shifted from a structural Republican advantage to a polling deadlock with three weeks to the legislative elections remaining.
The Hill reported that the event in Wasilla was scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. EDT, and it said recent polling showed Peltola with a narrow lead just three weeks before the midterms.