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Alaska's cost of living is surging beyond reason and might prove yet another challenge for Trump-backed senator Dan Sullivan's re-election bid.
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cost → sign → bid
As groceries, gas and diesel prices in the Last Frontier are skyrocketing, Democratic challenger Mary Peltola has found a way to blame the Republican incumbent.
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Peltola → skyrocket → incumbent
In late August, a store in the village of Shungnak in Alaska's Northwest made headlines after revealing an eye-popping price of $26.82 per gallon of regular gas.
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store → make → gas
'Just yesterday, the price was $13.99, but now it is 26.82,' Douglas told the Alaska Beacon.
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Douglas → tell → Beacon
'This price does reflect the highest cost for gasoline in the region … for now,' she later wrote on Facebook.
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she → reflect → Facebook
'Unfortunately, prices for gasoline and diesel are expected to increase once communities receive their fall barge deliveries.'
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communities → expect → deliveries
Shortly after the jarring number went public, Peltola's campaign started to lean into the cost of living as a major issue even more aggressively.
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campaign → go → issue
The Alaska Native now regularly posts photos of upsetting prices Alaskans have to pay for everyday goods.
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Alaskans → post → goods
Earlier this month, she published images from a rural Alaska grocery store where 12 rolls of paper towels were sold for as much as $40.99 and a set of paper plates for $53.99.
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rolls → publish → 53.99
Incumbent Dan Sullivan (right) and Democrat Mary Peltola (left) are battling for one of the most hotly contested Senate seats in Alaska
Skyrocketing gas prices and groceries have become a major issue in the senate race.
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prices → battle → race
In late August, a village in Alaska's Northwest made headlines for revealing a stunning cost of $26.82 per gallon of regular gas.
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village → make → gas
Peltola's campaign has since leaned into the rising cost in the Last Frontier even more, linking it to Trump's war against Iran.
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campaign → lean → Iran
The post also showed Tide pods available for $50.49 and said: 'This is as bad as it's ever been.
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it → show → 50.49
This is what the price-hiking war in Iran is costing alaskans.
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war → hike → alaskans
Dan Sullivan has now voted for it 14 times.'
On Wednesday, Peltola posted more photos of a gas pump with a sticker of Dan Sullivan pointing at a $100 charge for around 15.5 gallons, saying: 'I did that.'
The high prices in the state don't only cause outrage among online users but have become a defining issue in what has become one of the nation's most closely watched midterm battles.
Grocery costs in Alaska are almost 24 percent higher than the US average, the Bureau of Labor Statistics found.
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Bureau → vote → Statistics
The average diesel price in the state has increased by more than 61 percent in the last year while the cost of regular gas has jumped by almost 30 percent, according to AAA, which monitors national and local gas prices.
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which → increase → prices
Reporter Wil Courtney mentioned that the average price for heating fuel has jumped to $8 per gallon in rural Alaska and asked each candidate how they would tackle the issue.
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they → mention → issue
In the final debate between the two candidates for US Senate, both Peltola and Sullivan said they support Trump's recently announced 800-mile gas pipeline in the Last Frontier
Peltola's campaign revealed jaw-dropping images of prices inside grocery store, including $40.99 for paper towels and $50.49 for Tide pods.
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campaign → say → pods
Tide pots were being sold for more than $50.
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pots → sell → 50
Sullivan acknowledged the 'huge issue that is hurting people across the state' and lashed out against policymaking from the Biden administration.
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that → acknowledge → administration
Sullivan acknowledged the 'huge issue that is hurting people across the state' and lashed out against policymaking from the Biden administration.
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that → acknowledge → administration
He also emphasized that the recently announced 800-mile liquefied natural gas (LNG) pipeline would help produce 'more Alaska energy for Alaskans' and mentioned his collaboration with president Trump on an Alaska Energy Taskforce to assist low income homes with energy benefits.
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pipeline → emphasize → benefits
Peltola emphasized that she also supports the LNG pipeline and the energy cost assistance program for low income households but said: 'we need to go so far beyond.'
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we → emphasize → households
The Democrat added that Alaskans are 'living paycheck-to-paycheck and even moving to the Lower 48' and that she aims to eliminate income tax for lower and middle class Alaskans, and cap out-of-pocket prescription drug costs.
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she → add → costs
She further recalled talking to people in Alaska's Northwest who told her they are paying '$1,500 a month just for their electricity' and once again doubled down on blaming Sullivan for the impacts of the ongoing war in Iran.
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they → recall → Iran
A campaign spokesperson also told the Daily Mail that Peltola wants to pass the Expanded Child Tax Credit to provide parents with $3,600 annually per child under age six and $3,000 for children six to 17.
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Peltola → tell → children
The costs of Trump's Middle East war have turned into a midterm nightmare and snarled Republican campaigns in the entire country, with voters blaming the federal government for their financial struggles.
The Daily Mail contacted Sullivan's press secretary for comment.
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Mail → turn → comment
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