Senator Dan Sullivan’s Stock Trading Draws Scrutiny Amid Election Campaign
Alaska Senator Dan Sullivan, who is seeking reelection for a third term, has come under scrutiny for stock trades conducted while in office, amounting to up to $2 million. This financial activity is seen as a potential reason for his opposition to bipartisan efforts aimed at prohibiting stock trading by Congress members.
Sullivan’s Democratic challenger, former Representative Mary Peltola, highlights the issue of stock trading in her campaign, arguing it fosters corruption within Congress. The STOCK Act of 2012 mandates lawmakers to disclose stock transactions publicly, ensuring adherence to federal insider-trading laws.
From 2015 to 2024, Sullivan reported nearly 80 stock trades valued between $550,000 and $2.08 million, distinguishing him as the sole Alaskan federal politician to disclose such transactions during this period.
According to Quiver Quantitative, which monitors congressional trading and financial data, Sullivan’s net worth increased from $3 million when he entered the Senate in 2015 to $8.29 million, marking a 176% rise. His stock portfolio notably outpaced market averages, with a 47.5% increase in 2024 against the S&P’s 24.9% gain, and a 60.5% rise in 2023 compared to the S&P’s 26.29%.
The debate over stock trading in Congress has intensified amid rising economic disparities. Since 2018, several resolutions have been introduced to ban the practice, most receiving bipartisan support, though none have been enacted. Sullivan has neither cosponsored nor publicly backed any of these initiatives.
Peltola, who served in the House from 2022 to 2025, expressed to Alaska Public Media her concerns about the ethical implications of congressional stock trading, stating, “I thought that there were protections that prevented self-dealing and self-enriching. I was quite surprised to find out that it was even a discussion whether it should be done, and that there was a move afoot to prohibit that legislation from going forward to ban stock trading.” She has endorsed banning the practice.
From 2018 to 2022, Sullivan reportedly violated the STOCK Act three times by not reporting trades within the mandated 45-day timeframe. Two trades involved RPM International, a company led by his brother, Frank Sullivan. Though the senator later amended his disclosures, he has not faced legal penalties.
Alaska’s political landscape has not seen a Democratic senator since 2008. Peltola’s campaign recently reported raising $8.9 million in the first quarter of 2026, setting a fundraising record for Senate campaigns in the state.
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