Republican Senator Dan Sullivan of Alaska has asked supporters for small donations to cover petrol costs, after publicly endorsing President Donald Trump's military action in Iran that contributed to soaring global fuel prices, according to reports.
In a fundraising email sent on 11 May with the subject line “Alaska needs you!!”, Sullivan appealed for grassroots donations of $3, $5 or $10. The message stated that contributions would be used to recruit volunteers, run digital ads, invest in mail pieces, and “pay for gas as we visit isolated rural areas of Alaska.”
Sullivan’s request comes as petrol prices in Alaska average $5.27 per gallon, up from $3.63 a year earlier, according to AAA data. Nationally, the average cost stood at $4.56 per gallon on Thursday, compared to $2.98 before the Iran war began on 28 February.
The senator has been a vocal supporter of the conflict, which is currently paused under a fragile ceasefire. Hours after the US and Israel launched strikes, Sullivan told reporters: “I'm not someone that, in general, would support taking out world leaders… But I think these guys… are less world leaders than terrorists.” He also voted against war powers resolutions that would have limited the president's authority in the Middle East.
Democrats seeking to unseat Sullivan in the midterm elections have seized on his stance. In March, a group linked to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer released an ad criticising Sullivan for voting with party leaders “no matter how much it hurts Alaska.” Recent polls show the Iran war remains deeply unpopular, with 64 per cent of respondents in a Siena College survey saying it was the wrong decision.
