Alaska Senate candidate Mary Peltola voted twice in 2002 for a state income tax proposal that the Anchorage Daily News editorial board criticized as designed to "hit the middle to protect the rich," a decades-old legislative record now under renewed scrutiny as she challenges incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan.

The proposal, misleadingly branded the "Alaska Fair Tax," would have imposed the highest tax rates on middle-income Alaskans while charging wealthy earners significantly lower rates. Peltola, then serving in the Alaska state legislature, backed the plan in both votes during the 2002 session.

Daily News Called Plan Regressive

In a May 2002 editorial, Alaska's largest newspaper condemned the income tax structure as fundamentally unfair. The paper argued the plan's architects deliberately shielded high earners from significant tax burdens while extracting maximum revenue from working families.

Critics labeled the proposal regressive because its top earners would pay lower effective tax rates than many middle-class households. This inverts the traditional progressive tax structure where higher incomes face higher marginal rates.

Contrasts With Current Campaign Platform

Peltola's 2026 Senate campaign centers on economic affordability and tax relief for working Alaskans. She has proposed eliminating income taxes for households earning less than $92,000 annually, Alaska's median household income. Her campaign emphasizes protecting middle-class families from financial pressure.

The contrast between her 2002 votes and her current platform has drawn attacks from Republicans. The National Republican Senatorial Committee and Senate Leadership Fund have highlighted the old votes as evidence of inconsistency on tax policy.

GOP Seizes on Tax Record

Republican opposition research has amplified the 2002 votes in recent weeks. The NRSC has also criticized Peltola's position on overtime pay taxation, claiming her plan would lead to a $250 monthly tax increase for families.

The Senate Leadership Fund issued a statement in July noting Peltola "once voted in the state Legislature for an income tax proposal that critics called regressive because its highest earners would have paid lower tax rates than many working families."

The Detroit-based Daily Signal reported on the tax votes in July, prompting renewed attention to Peltola's legislative record. Conservative commentators have questioned whether her current tax relief proposals represent genuine conviction or election-year positioning.

Alaska Senate Race Remains Competitive

Peltola is mounting a serious challenge to Sullivan in what was expected to be a safe Republican seat. She served previously as a U.S. House member representing Alaska after winning a special election, giving her name recognition statewide.

The race has drawn national attention as Republicans defend their Senate majority. Alaska has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since the 1970s, but changing demographics and Peltola's profile have made the contest more competitive than typical Alaska races.