Alaska Democrats appear to have found their challenger in the 2026 US Senate race. Ann Diener, a Democrat and newspaper sales executive at the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, filed to run against incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, who has served since being elected in 2014.
Diener moved to Alaska in 2021 and was involved in Democratic politics through the unsuccessful gubernatorial campaign of Democrat Les Gara in 2022. With no other Democrat yet stepping forward and no signs of a late entry from former Rep. Mary Peltola, who is currently tied up in a lawsuit involving the death of her husband Buzzy, Diener looks to be the party’s default standard-bearer.
On her campaign website, Diener emphasizes themes of economic development and community-building. “We need to work hard to serve Alaskans and those who move to our state,” she writes, adding that Alaska must “create win-wins and care about creating flourishing local communities” amid concerns over population decline.
However, parts of Diener’s biography stand out for their unusual tone. She describes her political experience as including an effort to “defeat the overlord who had attempted to harm my planet” and claims to have stopped an attack on “our start (sic) system.” She often refers to herself as “we.”
In a section titled “Biography of Our Work for Sovereignty,” she pledges to uphold “Constitutionalism with Oversight against all Malfeasance.”
In comments about her political role models, Diener lists former US Sen. Dianne Feinstein (misspelled as “Diane” on her website), while also promoting a platform that mixes traditional Democrat priorities like workers’ rights and housing with a broad focus on foreign policy and energy. She also advocates for increased tourism promotion and attracting outside talent to Alaska. She claims to have vast foreign policy experience.
On her Ballotpedia profile she says, “We need to improve our state and encourage people to see that Alaska has a thriving future. This is something that is currently not happening, and it is time to elect someone with fresh eyes on the challenges we face. Coming from California, where we faced overdevelopment I stood against, I can work for Alaskans to encourage positive growth with constituents interest in mind. I will encourage direct communication and put your needs first. My goal is to engage everyone in an interactive way online, in person and over the phone.”
Her website features photos of protest signs, such as one that says, “No Justice No Peace.”
Diener has never run for elected office before and her professional background is in advertising sales. She was born in Colorado and got a college degree from San Diego State University, according to Ballotpedia, where she has completed the candidate profile and survey. She has a campaign website, a Facebook page, a campaign page on X, and some other social media tie downs.
Barring a last-minute entrant, Diener will face Sen. Sullivan, who is seeking his third term. The Alaska Democratic Party has yet to formally endorse a candidate, but Diener’s early filing in December 2024 and lack of alternatives suggest she may be their nominee by default.
