Alaska’s future is on the ballot—and this conversation made clear that the stakes extend far beyond the Last Frontier.

On Monday, July 27, in a wide-ranging discussion moderated by independent journalist Rebecca Nagle, Senate candidate Mary Peltola and congressional candidate Bill Hill outlined a vision centered on putting Alaskans ahead of partisan politics. Both emphasized the crushing cost of living, the need to strengthen local economies, and protecting Alaska’s fisheries and natural resources while creating long-term economic opportunity. They also addressed the difficult balance between Alaska’s dependence on oil revenue and the accelerating impacts of climate change, arguing that responsible energy policy must be paired with investments in sustainable industries and resilient communities. The candidates highlighted threats to the rule of law, government accountability, and the importance of reducing corruption, while stressing the need to expand voter access—particularly in remote and Alaska Native communities where geographic barriers make participation more difficult.

The discussion closed with a call for practical leadership, civic engagement, and cross-partisan collaboration to ensure every Alaskan has a voice in shaping the state’s future.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS:

Mary Peltola is a lifelong Alaskan, and running for U.S. Senate. She is a mother of seven and a proven champion for all Alaska workers and families. Mary grew up in the close-knit communities of Kwethluk, Tuntutuliak, Platinum, and Bethel, where she began fishing with her father at the age of six before becoming a fishing boat captain at age 14, and a herring and salmon technician for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game during college. After being elected to the state legislature at the age of 24, Mary chaired the bipartisan Bush Caucus which helped lower energy prices and improve public safety for rural Alaskans.

Mary has fought for Alaska by leading the coalition to secure the Willow Oil Project – which is the largest development of Alaska oil in recent history and a source of stable, good paying union jobs; launching the fight against factory trawlers in 2022 and fighting for first-of-its-kind legislation to ban bottom trawling; organizing town halls across the state and rallying Alaskans to successfully stop the Kroger-Albertson’s merger that would have raised grocery prices and hurt workers. She has spent her life fighting for Alaskans, and that’s exactly what she’ll do in the U.S. Senate.

Bill Hill is running for Alaska’s Congressional At-Large seat, and grew up in a small village in Bristol Bay, Alaska – the home of the largest salmon run in the world. He grew up subsistence fishing and hunting, trapping, and raising and racing sled dog teams with his family. Bill is first and foremost a commercial fisherman, joining his dad on the family fishing boat when he was 12 and fishing every fishing season in Bristol Bay since. Bill also worked in rural construction, from building houses, working on remote health clinics and canneries, environmental remediation, and on a crew that installed the sewer system in the Bristol Bay Borough. A son of two teachers, Bill spent nearly 25 years working as a teacher, a principal, and a superintendent, and was named Alaska Superintendent of the Year in 2023. He’s a proud union guy, having been part of both the Laborers union and the NEA. Bill is a husband, dad of four, and Chada (grandpa) to 7. Bill and his family have lived in Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau. Now he and his wife Diane are back in Naknek, population 470.

Rebecca Nagle is an award winning journalist and citizen of Cherokee Nation. She is the author of “By The Fire We Carry: The Generation-Long Fight for Justice on Native Land” and the writer and host of the podcast “This Land“. Her writing on Native representation, federal Indian law, and tribal sovereignty has been featured in the Atlantic, the Washington Post, The Guardian, USA Today, Indian Country Today, and more. Rebecca Nagle is the recipient of the American Mosaic Journalism Prize, Women’s Media Center’s Exceptional Journalism Award, a Peabody Nominee, and numerous awards from the Native American Journalist Association. Nagle lives in Tahlequah, OK.