Democrat Gray-Jackson ends US Senate run in Alaska

Democrat Elvi Gray-Jackson said Friday that she is ending her run for U.S. Senate in Alaska and instead will seek reelection to the state Senate.

Gray-Jackson, in a statement released by her campaign, said that as first-quarter fundraising concludes “and after some deep reflection on our current system and the monumental expenses necessary to run a successful campaign, I have decided that my best efforts to change that system and to change Alaska will be done in the Senate in Juneau.”

Gray-Jackson had been the only Democrat so far to file with the state Division of Elections to run for the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Lisa Murkowski, who is seeking reelection. Gray-Jackson had filed as a candidate last month.

Samantha Keitt, who had been a spokesperson for Gray-Jackson’s U.S. Senate campaign, said the timing of when Gray-Jackson would file paperwork to make the changes was being finalized.