By SUZANNE DOWNING
March 4, 2026 – Former US Rep. Mary Peltola, has changed her mind again. Now running for the US Senate against Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, she is calling for term limits, an issue she raised this week in a social media post criticizing what she described as entrenched politicians in Washington, DX
“I’m fed up by self-dealing DC politicians looking out for themselves and their billionaire donors while ignoring the rest of us,” Peltola wrote Tuesday. “It’s time for term limits.” Or maybe it was her campaign intern who wrote that statement.
The position on term limits comes as Peltola seeks to unseat a senator who has served just two terms in the Senate.
But Peltola’s new call for limits on congressional service contradicts her past praise for the late Alaska congressman Don Young, who represented the state in the US House for nearly half a century.
Young served Alaska for 49 years, from 1973 until his death in 2022, making him the longest-serving Republican in House history.
When Peltola ran in the 2022 special election to fill Young’s seat, she repeatedly framed her campaign as an effort to continue his legacy.
Speaking at the Alaska Federation of Natives convention in October 2022, she said:
“I ran on continuing the legacy of Don. I really think that we would not be the state that we are without his leadership and the service that he provided for 49 years, and I want to keep that going.”
She continued to invoke Young’s tenure throughout her time in Congress.
In a 2024 social media post, Peltola wrote that “Don Young had a long legacy of fighting for Alaska, a legacy I’ve aimed to preserve.”
In another message she said she had “worked hard to continue Don Young’s legacy,” adding that the longtime congressman “left big boots to fill.”
She also grouped Young with former US Sen. Ted Stevens in a 2024 Instagram post celebrating Alaska’s congressional history, writing: “Ted Stevens was special. Don Young was special. Alaska is special.”
Throughout those statements, Peltola praised Young’s decades-long tenure as a benefit to Alaska and highlighted his commitment to issues such as military families and infrastructure.
Her latest statement about term limits raises questions about what limits she now believes should apply to members of Congress.
Peltola did not specify how many terms she believes lawmakers should serve.
For Alaska voters, the debate may come down to a basic question: If decades of service helped Don Young deliver for the state, where should the line be drawn, especially since Alaska has only one member in the US House of Representatives?
Peltola was term-limited by voters in 2024, then became a lobbyist. Now she wants to go back to Washington, DC.
9 thoughts on “Peltola calls for term limits in Senate race, despite past praise for Don Young’s decades in office”
Indeed, Don & Ted were ‘special’ … Mary and Lisa(?), not special.
I don’t care who brings this up for debate but I agree with this 100%. Can’t ever vote for her but I can “reach across the aisle” and support this idea 100%. Term limits is the only thing that will ever drain the swamp both R and D.
“I’m fed up by self-dealing DC politicians looking out for themselves and their billionaire donors while ignoring the rest of us,” Peltola wrote Tuesday.
The irony here is almost laughable! This describes Mary Peltola’s time in congress to a tee! She mastered the art of “ignoring the rest of us” and “looking out for herself and her donors”. A little self-awareness would be nice!
Peltola is a lunatic. She would be a disgrace for Alaska as a Senator. Donations coming at you, Senator Sullivan.
Totally agree A Taxpayer. You took the words right out of my mouth. She’s such a SKANK.
Term limits sound great, but in reality assure that the unelected deep state bureaucrats run the government, not tenured elected officials. The legislature becomes only an ineffective figurehead for the actual power brokers.
I’m also certain that Peltola is only parroting a script dictated by those same power brokers who will own her if she is elected. God forbid!
This fits with what happened in California even term limits wereapplied. The legislative staffers( unelected!!) Began running the show, as they stay on, no matter who is,in office.. They also develop the ” WE are Royalty” mindset. We have enough of that in Alaska, with one,of our senators in particular
That’s what Anchorage Democrats did put term limits on Assembly Seats which they accomplished. Now. We have members like Constant tried to extend the term limit to four terms instead of the three because Constant was coming up to term out.
Now I think its wiser if an an elect leader put a personal term limit on himself then I can likely do the work he set out to do and decrease his vulnerablity to becoming corrupt and greedy as too much power too much fanfare too long makes anyone corrupt and they forget there us more to their life than holding a prominent leadership position.
To be honest I don’t like mandatory term limits. Everyone has their personal lilts and some leaders can handle and manage the responsibility the power of a position longer than another leader.
That’s what Anchorage Democrats did put term limits on Assembly Seats which they accomplished. Now. We have members like Constant tried to extend the term limit to four terms instead of the three because Constant was coming up to term out.
Now I think its wiser if an an elect leader put a personal term limit on himself then he can likely do the work he set out to do and decrease his vulnerability to becoming corrupt and greedy as too much power too much fanfare too long makes anyone corrupt and they forget there is more to their life than holding a prominent leadership position. Also too I think all leaders should personally evaluate how their spouse and how their children are doing as they coming up to finishing up a term before deciding if their family is still in heathy position. Because if a narriage and children relationships aren’t good then the elect leader would be wise to bow out after finishing up his term so he can take care of and give attention to his spouse or child.
To be honest I don’t like mandatory term limits. Everyone has their personal limits and some leaders can handle and manage the responsibility the power of a position longer than another leader. I think mandatory term limits takes future leaders rights way.