U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola’s new surroundings may be nothing like Alaska, but that hasn’t changed her down-to-earth, ready-to-laugh and eager-to-learn approach to her newest challenge.
She recalled some of her most surprising and amusing Washington, D.C., moments recently with the Kodiak Daily Mirror, starting with showing up a day before she was to be sworn in and finding herself unable to get into her temporary office or access her official email, among other things. Initially, her small staff was unable to escort constituents into the building or access their email as well.
“So I was letting staff and constituents in with my pin,” Peltola said, referencing the special clasp given to all members of Congress that, among other things, helps them gain access. “The Capitol Police would say, ‘OK, where’s your member?’ Because I don’t look like a member. And different Capitol Police would say, ‘Are you a spouse?’”
Welcome to Washington, Mary.
Peltola said she has been warmly received by her fellow Representatives, and then she quickly shows how her sense of humor is helping keep everything in perspective.
“I think every one of them was happy to see me because I increased their seniority by one,” Peltola joked. “So each of them had a little reason to appreciate my arrival.”
Peltola is finishing the term for the late Don Young, who died in March while serving as Alaska’s lone Representative for the last 49 years. She is temporarily working out of his office, until the results of the Nov. 8th general election are known. She is running against former Gov. Sarah Palin, veteran state politician Nick Begich and Fairbanks fishing guide Chris Bye.
“I’m camping there, is what I call it,” Peltola said. “His personal office is large. But his staff office is enormous. He used to joke that he wanted to turn it into a gun range — a firing range. I think it could be a pretty decent basketball court. It’s big.”
By contrast, at the time of this interview Peltola said she had four staff members working in D.C., and one in Alaska. A couple of them worked for Young, and one person came out of retirement to help Peltola even though she’s a democrat.
Roll Call, the well-respected newspaper and website that has been covering Capitol Hill since 1955, has written a story about Peltola’s politically diverse staff.
“Yeah, there’s so much intrigue about having republicans and democrats working in the office,” Peltola remembers telling someone, in reference to her staff politics making news.
The person responded: “Oh, cats and dogs!” The words still brought laughter to Peltola as she re-told the story to the KDM.
None of this is to say that Peltola doesn’t recognize the keen national interest in her special election victory.
“I think a lot of that has to do with how polarizing D.C. is right now, and the influence that the Trump supporters have in the nation,” Peltola said. “I think that may have elevated this to a lot higher interest for people. I think definitely the fact that an international celebrity was in the race, I think people thought it was a foregone conclusion,” she said in reference to Palin.
It is clear when talking to Peltola that she still considers herself a very normal Alaskan, while at the same time enjoying the significance of being the first native Alaskan to serve in her role.
“I’m a mom. I worked for a nonprofit. I have two teenage kids — kids serving our country,” Peltola said. “Not much to see here. Just a normal mom. But it was also really different because I am the first Alaska native to serve in the delegation.”
With only a few short weeks before being up for re-election for a full term, Peltola knows the work ahead of her. In Washington, she’s typically in the office between 8 and 9 am and stays until 5 or 6 pm. Then she goes home to make campaign calls until about 11 pm, taking full advantage of the time difference.
During the day, she spends time on the House floor when there are votes to be cast, and talks with constituents during other parts of the day. Peltola had been to Washington many times before taking office, but she said the Jan. 6 riots have made that process totally different.
“It’s like getting through an airport,” Peltola said, her voice turning quieter and more serious. “There are metal detectors now. … Constituents can’t come into the building freely. A staff member has to go outside and meet them outside the building and escort them through the metal detectors and X-ray machines.”
But she knows she is right where she wants to be.
“This is exactly what I asked Alaskans to help me do,” Peltola said. “I asked for their votes. I’m very happy to be working for Alaska. I just really appreciate the patience that people have and the grace that people are giving me during this tremendous learning experience.”
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