Both candidates are focusing on the Alaska Native population, which could be key to determining whether they return to Washington next year.

By Leah Ann Caldwell @ WashingtonPost.com, Oct. 24

ANCHORAGE — Speaking to a large conference room of Alaska Natives on Friday, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R) had only words of praise for Rep. Mary Peltola (D), the first Alaska Native elected to Congress, who is also up for reelection.

“Mary is a woman whose heart is as grounded in Alaska as anybody you’re going to find,” Murkowski told reporters after the event, wearing a gold-colored, paisley-patterned kuspuk, common Alaska Indigenous clothing Peltola gave her last year.

Asked if she would rank Peltola first on her ballot next month in Alaska’s new ranked-choice voting system, Murkowski paused. After a full 18 seconds, she said, “Yeah, I am.” She then mumbled, “I’m going to get in so much trouble.”

Asked to respond to Murkowski’s de facto endorsement, Peltola said, “I’m voting for her, so we’re even-steven.”

Murkowski and Peltola represent different parties and different chambers of Congress, but both are embarking on the same difficult journey to win reelection in a red state. Both are running against more conservative candidates who have the backing of former president Donald Trump in a state he won by 10 points in 2020 [....]