Alaska Rep. Mary Peltola’s husband killed in plane crash

“We are devastated to share that Mary’s husband, Eugene Peltola Jr. — ‘Buzzy’ to all of us who knew and loved him — passed away earlier this morning following a plane accident in Alaska,” Rep. Mary Peltola’s (D-AK) chief of staff Anton McParland said in a statement Wednesday.

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“He was one of those people that was obnoxiously good at everything,” he continued. “He had a delightful sense of humor that lightened the darkest moments. He was definitely the cook in the family. And family was most important to him. He was completely devoted to his parents, kids, siblings, extended family, and friends — and he simply adored Mary. We are heartbroken for the family’s loss.”

“Mary is returning home to be with their family, and we ask that their privacy be respected during this time,” the statement concluded. “Our team will continue to meet with constituents and carry on the work of the office while Mary and her family grieve.”

The 50-year-old congresswoman’s husband was of Yupik and Tlingit native descent, at one point serving on the federally recognized tribal governing body, the Orutsararmiut Native Council, per Politico. He also served as regional director for the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Alaska, where he oversaw offices in both Fairbanks and Anchorage. Eugene Peltola was responsible for services rendered to more than 200 federally recognized native tribes in the state in this capacity.

He is also remembered for his service at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, where he was the Federal Subsistence Management Program lead. In the role, Peltola was charged with the coordination and implementation of subsistence management on Alaska’s federal lands. His work with the USFWS was on behalf of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, as well as the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Forest Service.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) responded to the news Wednesday in a statement, saying, “I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Gene ‘Buzzy’ Peltola, the beloved husband of Rep. Mary Peltola and the devoted father and step-father of Conrad, Matthew, Job, Nora, Gene, Trevor and Kaeli. The entire House Democratic Caucus is mourning the loss of Buzzy and we are lifting Mary and the Peltola family up in prayer. We will be there for her in any way she needs during this unimaginable time of tragedy.”

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), also a member of Alaska’s congressional delegation, said in a statement, “I am shocked, saddened and truly beyond words to express my grief at the loss of Gene Peltola Jr.”

“Anyone who met Buzzy felt his warmth, generosity and charm. It was easy to see why so many Alaskans called him a friend, and how he was so loved by his family. He was Mary’s number one supporter and truly her rock. My heart is in Alaska today with Mary and their children, and Verne and I offer prayers and condolences to them,” she said.

“Like all Alaskans, Julie and I are shocked and saddened beyond belief by the tragic passing of Gene Peltola last night,” Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) said in a statement. “This is an unimaginably difficult time for Mary, the entire Peltola family, and so many friends across the state. Today, we mourn the tragic loss of Gene, and offer Mary and her family our heartfelt prayers for strength and consolation in this time of unspeakable loss and grief, and know that Alaskans across our great state are doing the same.”

Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R-AK) addressed Peltola’s death in a statement, saying, “Rose and I are shocked and deeply saddened by the passing of Gene Peltola. We will be praying for Mary, their children, and all of the Peltola family. Gene’s dedication to Alaska ran deep, and he will be dearly missed.”

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) also offered his condolences.

“My heart goes out to Rep. Peltola and her entire family over the loss of her husband,” he said in a statement. “The whole House grieves with her during this devastating time.”

Peltola was elected to Alaska’s at-large House seat in an August 2022 special election, pulling off an upset victory against former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the late Sen. John McCain’s one-time running mate on the 2008 Republican presidential ticket. The special election was held to select a replacement for the late Republican Rep. Don Young, who died earlier in the year. Peltola was then elected in the 2022 midterm elections a few months later to serve a full term in Congress. She is the only Democrat in Alaska’s congressional delegation. The state also boasts a Republican governor.

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This is not the first plane crash incident that has touched the state’s federal politicians. Young, while his death is attributed to a medical emergency, died aboard an airplane on his way home to Alaska.

Former Republican Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens, who was once the president pro tempore of the Senate, died in a 2010 plane crash in Alaska. Stevens was the 10th-longest-serving GOP senator in U.S. history. In 1972, House Majority Leader Hale Boggs of Louisiana and Alaska Rep. Nick Begich Sr., a Republican, along with aide Russell Browne and pilot Don Jonz, took off on a flight from Anchorage to Juneau. However, the plane and its passengers went missing, and it was never found.