Dem Senate hopeful rocked by explosive ex-aide claims as campaign cites 'hardest period of her life'

Former Rep. Mary Peltola, the Democratic Senate candidate in Alaska, is facing allegations from former aides that she erupted in anger, used offensive slurs, sent profane text messages and once shoved a staffer - claims her campaign disputes while denying that they reflect a broader pattern of abusive behavior.

The New York Times reported on Wednesday that former Peltola aides alleged she was quick to anger, used anti-gay slurs and a slur targeting the mentally handicapped, sent edgy text messages and, in one case, shoved an employee. Though Peltola's campaign disputed several of the allegations, her spokesman said some of her behavior came during a period of extreme grief after the deaths of her mother and husband in 2023.

"Mary suddenly and tragically lost both her mother and her husband in the span of a few months in 2023. At the time of their passing, Mary was parenting kids through their own grief, serving full-time in the U.S. House of Representatives thousands of miles from home, and running a competitive re-election campaign - all while shouldering the enormous burden of grief," a spokesman for her campaign told the media in response to the report. 

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"Like any person who has gone through multiple personal tragedies in the span of a few months, Mary sometimes struggled to deal with her grief. But she treats her staff with respect and care, and she maintains close positive relationships with her staff spanning her nearly 30 years in public service," the spokesman continued. "Exaggerating and outright lying about moments from the hardest period of her life, and falsely presenting them as a pattern of behavior, is wrong."

Peltola avoided reporters' questions about the allegations after a Wednesday town hall, leaving without responding, Alaska News Source reported.

While much of the behavior described in the New York Times article, such as Peltola's alleged use of slurs and the shove, occurred during the aftermath of her personal tragedies, other incidents purportedly happened more recently.

The atmosphere in Peltola's congressional office allegedly drove aides to tears and prompted discussions about quitting, with some saying the stress caused them to lose weight or seek therapy, according to the New York Times. The outlet separately described anxiety and exhaustion among staff on her 2026 Senate campaign.

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Some commentators from across the political spectrum defended Peltola or questioned the significance of some of the allegations.

"I think most reasonably well-adjusted people would read this and feel pretty sympathetic toward Peltola rather than her annoying staffers," left-of-center pollster Nate Silver said of the reporting. A Democratic communications staffer noted that getting yelled at by your boss is relatively normal on the Hill.

"Call me crazy, but I do not think it's very objectionable for Mary Peltola, who commutes from Alaska to Washington DC, to ask a staffer to feed her pet," Robby Soave, who writes for a libertarian magazine, said.

Not everyone took the Senate hopeful's side, however.

"Mary Peltola has a problem with violence and aggression, and she doesn't deserve to be dog-catcher let alone a U.S. Senator. Mary should apologize for her unhinged behavior," Republican National Committee spokesman Nick Poche said of the reporting.

"I thought Peltola was boring and useless until I read this," former Rep. Matt Gaetz wrote on X. "Was this leaked to help Peltola with Alaskan men?"

Staffers complained to the New York Times about having to feed live crickets to Peltola's pet chameleon, Meatball. Some of the staffers who complained about the working conditions in Peltola's congressional office returned to work for her Senate campaign.

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Peltola and incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan are the leading contenders in Alaska's four-candidate general election for U.S. Senate, which will likely be one of the closest Senate elections of this cycle. Though traditionally a red state, shifting voter preferences combined with Peltola's unique crossover appeal have put Alaska in play for the Democrats.

Peltola's campaign did not respond to a request for comment when reached by Fox News Digital on Thursday.