Skip to content

PoliticsDeveloping

Peltola widens lead over Sullivan in Alaska Senate race as ballots are counted

By

Coverage spectrum

Covered by 9 outlets across the spectrum.

11 articles in total. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

Split image: smiling woman on left, man in cap speaking into microphone on right
Image via The Western JournalHow images are chosenReport this image

Democrat Mary Peltola has widened her first-choice lead over Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan as Alaska counts ballots, and the race has not been called. The Hill reported Peltola at 49 percent and Sullivan at 47.2 percent after the latest drop, while the Daily Wire said Tuesday’s totals showed her ahead by about 4,250 votes with an estimated 84 percent counted. An independent, Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., received 4,027 votes, fewer than that margin. Republicans call him a decoy candidate, and the Daily Wire reports he was reportedly recruited by Democratic operatives. Fox News reports that tens of thousands of absentee ballots remain uncounted. Raw Story reports that Trump demanded on Truth Social that votes for Sullivan Jr. be handed to the incumbent.

Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. Editors read every story. How this works

What happened

Key points

Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.

  1. Mary Peltola leads Dan Sullivan in the first-choice count as Alaska counts ballots.

    Reported byFar Left1Center2Far Right5See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    Raw Story
    Center
    The Hill, NewsNation
    Far Right
    The Western Journal, The Epoch Times, The Daily Wire, Townhall, Fox News

  2. The race had not been called as counting continued.

    Reported byCenter1Far Right2See the outletsHide the outlets
    Center
    The Hill
    Far Right
    The Daily Wire, Fox News

  3. Tens of thousands of absentee and other ballots remained uncounted, according to Fox News.

    One side only: the rightReported byFar Right2See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Right
    The Daily Wire, Fox News

  4. Independent Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. received 4,027 votes, fewer than Peltola’s lead.

    One side only: the rightReported byFar Right2See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Right
    The Epoch Times, The Daily Wire

  5. Republicans call Sullivan Jr. a decoy candidate, and the Daily Wire reports he was reportedly recruited by Democratic operatives.

    One side only: the rightReported byFar Right3See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Right
    The Epoch Times, The Daily Wire, Townhall

  6. Trump demanded on Truth Social that votes for Sullivan Jr. be handed to the incumbent, Raw Story reports.

    One outletRaw Story· Far Left

How each side tells it

Compare views

Left, center and right all report Peltola’s lead widening as ballots are counted, with the race not called. The main difference is the independent candidate: right-side outlets focus on him as a ‘decoy’, while the left frames Trump’s demand against the numbers and the center reports the count plainly.

  • the left

    1 outlet

    The only left-side headline supplied says new numbers ‘sink Trump’s theory’, framing the count as undercutting the president’s argument about the independent candidate.

    'About to make some history': Sensational language“Observers stunned”The headline adds drama through an unnamed group’s reaction.More neutral: Observers react as new Alaska numbers showDisagree with this highlight? as new Alaska numbers Loaded verb“sink Trump's theory”The verb sink presents the count as having defeated Trump’s argument, which the numbers alone do not establish.More neutral: undercut Trump’s theoryDisagree with this highlight?
    Raw StoryFar LeftAll left-leaning headlines

  • the center

    3 outlets

    The Hill’s headlines report the count plainly, using ‘expands’ and ‘surpasses’ and giving no label to the independent candidate.

    Peltola expands lead over Sullivan in Alaska Senate contest
    The HillCenterAll center headlines

  • the right

    5 outlets

    Right-side headlines focus on the independent candidate, with Townhall and the Daily Wire calling him ‘Decoy Dan’ and comparing Peltola’s lead to the combined Sullivan votes; Fox News is plainer.

    Latest Ballot Drop Pushes Dem Challenger Over Combined Dan Sullivans' Votes in AK Senate Race
    The Western JournalFar RightAll right-leaning headlines

The words they chose

Language to notice

Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.

  • Left2

    Observers stunnedsink Trump's theory

  • Center0

    No loaded words in its own voice.

  • Right4

    Decoy Candidateso-calledDecoy DanCould Change Everything

In the outlets’ own words

  • Delegitimizing label

    Decoy CandidateMore neutral: a third candidate with a similar name

    The headline implies a scheme behind the lead without evidence in the supplied reporting, which describes only a third candidate with a similar name.

    Mary Peltola Expands Her Lead, Thanks to Her Decoy Candidate

    Used byTownhall (Far Right)

  • Delegitimizing label

    so-calledMore neutral: independent candidate

    Casts doubt on the candidate’s independent status in the outlet’s own voice without evidence.

    Sullivan, a so-called independent candidate reportedly recruited by Democrat operatives to confuse voters.

    Used byThe Daily Wire (Far Right)

  • Partisan shorthand

    Decoy DanMore neutral: independent candidate Dan J. Sullivan

    A nickname coined by one side that presumes the independent candidate was planted, repeated here in the outlet’s own headline.

    Alaska’s ‘Decoy Dan’ Mess Isn’t Over And The Next Count Could Change Everything

    Used byThe Daily Wire (Far Right)

  • Sensational language

    Could Change EverythingMore neutral: The next count could affect the race

    Predicts a dramatic outcome for the next count that the coverage does not establish.

    Alaska’s ‘Decoy Dan’ Mess Isn’t Over And The Next Count Could Change Everything

    Used byThe Daily Wire (Far Right)

Show 2 more phrasesShow fewer

  • Sensational language

    Observers stunnedMore neutral: Observers react as new Alaska numbers show

    The headline adds drama through an unnamed group’s reaction.

    'About to make some history': Observers stunned as new Alaska numbers sink Trump's theory

    Used byRaw Story (Far Left)

  • Loaded verb

    sink Trump's theoryMore neutral: undercut Trump’s theory

    The verb sink presents the count as having defeated Trump’s argument, which the numbers alone do not establish.

    'About to make some history': Observers stunned as new Alaska numbers sink Trump's theory

    Used byRaw Story (Far Left)

Words quoted from someone else (1)Hide the quoted words

Loaded words that outlets reported someone else saying. They show what was said, not how the outlet chose to say it.

  • Delegitimizing label

    Quoted

    Fake Dan SullivanMore neutral: the independent candidate Daniel J. Sullivan Jr.

    The label calls a candidate fake without evidence in the article.

    Sullivan Jr., whom he called the “Fake Dan Sullivan,” be handed to the incumbent.

    Quoted byRaw Story (Far Left)

    These are Donald Trump’s words. The outlets are reporting them.

See the full language guide

See for yourself

Side by side

What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.

From the left

1 outlet

Leads with

  • Trump’s demand over the independent’s votes
  • Peltola’s growing lead
  • The count undercutting Trump’s argument

Leaves out

  • Gerald Heikes’s 5,318 votes and Trump’s claim that he was backed by Democrats

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the headline from the leftHide the headlines
  • Raw StoryFar Left

    'About to make some history': Sensational language“Observers stunned”The headline adds drama through an unnamed group’s reaction.More neutral: Observers react as new Alaska numbers showDisagree with this highlight? as new Alaska numbers Loaded verb“sink Trump's theory”The verb sink presents the count as having defeated Trump’s argument, which the numbers alone do not establish.More neutral: undercut Trump’s theoryDisagree with this highlight?

    Democrat Mary Peltola’s growing lead in Alaska’s Senate race has undercut one of President Donald Trump’s arguments about the contest. Her lead over Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan is now bigger than the vote total of the second Dan Sullivan on the ballot. …

    Read at Raw Story (opens in a new tab)

From the center

3 outlets

Leads with

  • Vote totals and percentages
  • The latest ballot drop
  • Peltola expanding her lead

Leaves out

  • Trump’s demand that votes for Sullivan Jr. go to the incumbent

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 3 headlines from the centerHide the headlines

From the right

5 outlets

Leads with

  • The independent candidate as a decoy
  • Peltola’s lead compared with combined Sullivan votes
  • Claims that Democrats recruited the independent
See the 5 headlines from the rightHide the headlines
  • The Western JournalFar Right

    Latest Ballot Drop Pushes Dem Challenger Over Combined Dan Sullivans' Votes in AK Senate Race

    The vote total for former Democratic U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola surpassed the combined tally of incumbent Sen. Dan S. Sullivan and independent Dan J. Sullivan in Alaska’s U.S. Senate race

    Read at The Western Journal (opens in a new tab)
  • The Epoch TimesFar Right

    New Alaska Vote Total Pushes Peltola Further Ahead

    The gap between the Democratic and the Republican incumbent now surpasses the votes received by a candidate who Republicans say was inserted as a decoy.

    Read at The Epoch Times (opens in a new tab)
  • The Daily WireFar Right

    Alaska’s ‘Partisan shorthand“Decoy Dan”A nickname coined by one side that presumes the independent candidate was planted, repeated here in the outlet’s own headline.More neutral: independent candidate Dan J. SullivanDisagree with this highlight?’ Mess Isn’t Over And The Next Count Sensational language“Could Change Everything”Predicts a dramatic outcome for the next count that the coverage does not establish.More neutral: The next count could affect the raceDisagree with this highlight?

    Democrat Alaska Senate candidate Mary Peltola increased her lead over incumbent Republican Senator Dan Sullivan following the latest vote drop as counting continues to drag on in the critical race. …

    Read at The Daily Wire (opens in a new tab)
  • TownhallFar Right

    Mary Peltola Expands Her Lead, Thanks to Her Delegitimizing label“Decoy Candidate”The headline implies a scheme behind the lead without evidence in the supplied reporting, which describes only a third candidate with a similar name.More neutral: a third candidate with a similar nameDisagree with this highlight?

    Alaska Democrat Senate nominee Mary Peltola expanded her first-choice lead over her opponent, Republican incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan, on Monday.

    Read at Townhall (opens in a new tab)
  • Fox NewsFar Right

    Peltola widens narrow Alaska Senate lead over Sullivan as counting continues

    Mary Peltola's lead over Dan Sullivan grew to 2,517 votes after Monday's ballot drop, but tens of thousands of absentee ballots remain uncounted.

    Read at Fox News (opens in a new tab)

The stories you read build My Mix, a private picture of which sides cover the stories you choose, kept on this device. What is My Mix?

The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.

Who reported it when

How the coverage built up

  • Left

    23 hr 29 min later

    Its first report, Nov 11, 9:48 AM EST

  • Center

    First to report

    The Hill, Nov 10, 10:18 AM EST

  • Right

    4 hr 28 min later

    Its first report, Nov 10, 2:46 PM EST

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
  1. The HillCenterNov 10, 10:18 AM EST
  2. NewsNationCenterNov 10, 1:29 PM EST
  3. Fox NewsFar RightNov 10, 2:46 PM EST
  4. TownhallFar RightNov 10, 4:15 PM EST
  5. The Daily WireFar RightNov 11, 5:11 AM EST
  6. The Epoch TimesFar RightNov 11, 8:40 AM EST
  7. Raw StoryFar LeftNov 11, 9:48 AM EST
  8. The Western JournalFar RightNov 11, 6:08 PM EST
  9. NewsweekCenterNov 12, 6:53 AM EST

Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out.

Read next

Help someone else find the truth beneath the surface

Most people see one side of a story. Share this one, so they can see how every side is telling it and decide for themselves.

Email it
Embed

Show this story’s coverage card on your own site, blog or class page. It has the headline, who is covering it and a link back here, and it tracks nobody. See the card

Seen a mistake? Tell us what is wrong with this page