Former US Rep. Mary Peltola has been selected as one of six new Pritzker Fellows at the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics. It’s a prestigious appointment that will give her a platform this fall in a Democratic stronghold, even as speculation builds over her next political move.
The fellowship, announced this week, places Peltola alongside other Democratic and progressive figures including former Obama Administration official Alex Wagner, former US ambassador David Pressman, and Center for Constitutional Rights executive director Vince Warren. The Pritzker Fellows program, founded by longtime Barack Obama strategist David Axelrod, is dominated by strongly partisan Democrat choices.
Democrats’ Alaska play is to keep Sullivan busy, not beaten, with useful pawn Peltola
Peltola will be part of the fall cohort that begins in September. Pritzger Fellows participate in 8-week residencies during an academic quarter. Fellows must lead weekly 75-minute, non-credit, off-the-record seminars for University of Chicago students, focusing on their careers and experiences. Formats include discussions, simulations, or tabletop exercises.
Peltola will also have to hold four hours of weekly one-on-one office hours (20-minute appointments) to discuss career advice or current issues with students. As senior director of Alaska Affairs at Holland & Hart LLP, a law firm, where she works as a non-lawyer government affairs professional, she may take a leave from her job at to participate; more likely the company will keep her on the payroll.
Peltola’s application would have included a two-page seminar summary, a curriculum vitae/biography, and details of her background via an online form.
The timing of Peltola’s appointment comes as national Democrats are watching closely to see if she will reenter Alaska politics in 2026. On Aug. 21, the Cook Political Report reiterated the news that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has been urging Peltola to challenge Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, who is up for reelection in 2026. But polls suggest Peltola might fare better in Alaska’s open governor’s race, where she would likely clear the Democratic field — even forcing out former legislator Tom Begich.
Still, Cook reported that Peltola has signaled more openness to a Senate run, despite the long odds for Democrats in the red-leaning state. The fellowship in Chicago gives her a taxpayer-subsidized springboard to raise money in a Democratic donor hub, under the cover of academia.
Peltola, who made history in 2022 as the first Alaska Native elected to Congress, served one term before losing her reelection bid in 2024 to Congressman Nick Begich. At the Institute of Politics, she will host student seminars and share insights from her time in Washington, even as she weighs a potential comeback bid.
Whether Peltola’s time in Chicago becomes a stepping stone to the governor’s mansion or the US Senate, Democrats are obsessed with gaming out how her next move could reshape Alaska’s political map in 2026.
Data for Progress poll shows Peltola vulnerable if Republicans unite behind one candidate
Breaking: Mary Peltola sues hunting guide and bush aviation company
Peltola sells out her donors by hawking their names and giving records to an out-of-state fundraiser