FactCheck.org is reporting that political advertisements in the Alaska Senate race between incumbent Republican Dan Sullivan and former Rep. Mary Peltola, a Democrat, contain misleading claims regarding Peltola’s votes on military pay raises. It said ads from Sullivan and a supporting super PAC claim Peltola voted against a military pay raise in 2023. FactCheck.org noted Peltola opposed that defense bill due to "poison pill" amendments, including one limiting abortion access for military personnel, despite the bill containing a 5.2% pay increase. It said Peltola later voted for a compromise defense bill that included the pay raise after controversial amendments were removed.
FactCheck.org also stated Peltola’s ad, which claimed she "pushed through the largest pay increase for our soldiers in decades," is misleading. It explained that military raises are largely determined by a formula set by law, and Congress approved raises in line with this formula during President Donald Trump’s first term and President Joe Biden’s presidency.
Separately, FactCheck.org is reporting that a pro-Democrat group, Majority Forward, ran a false ad in the Maine Senate race. The ad claimed Republican Sen. Susan Collins "doesn’t think" insider trading "should be illegal." FactCheck.org said Collins helped pass a 2012 law that affirmed members of Congress are not exempt from insider-trading laws and required prompt disclosure of stock trades. It noted Collins does not support a complete ban on stock trading by lawmakers.
FactCheck.org also addressed speculation that President Donald Trump was an unnamed 79-year-old man who received an unapproved weight-loss drug from Eli Lilly through an FDA program. It said social media commenters and Democratic lawmakers raised this speculation, but the White House has denied that Trump is the mystery recipient.