Dem Candidate BLASTED After Repeated Homophobic Slurs

Democratic Party donkey symbol on American flag — Photo: danielfela / Shutterstock

A bombshell New York Times report says Democrat Senate candidate Mary Peltola repeatedly called her own gay staffers a homophobic slur, and now Ric Grenell is branding her a hypocrite for it.

Quick Take

The New York Times reported nine former Peltola staffers described angry outbursts, slurs, and one alleged shove.
Four former aides said they personally heard Peltola use the word “faggot,” sometimes aimed at her own staff.
Her campaign denies the homophobic slur claim but admits she used an ableist slur and regrets it.
Ric Grenell called out Peltola’s pro-LGBTQ image as hypocritical given the allegations against her.

What The New York Times Investigation Uncovered

The New York Times published its report on September 23, 2026, describing Mary Peltola’s Alaska Senate campaign as rocked by “tumult.” Four former staff members told the paper they directly heard Peltola use the slur “faggot” over the years, sometimes about her own employees. The paper also reported she used the word “retarded,” backed up by text messages reviewers say they viewed themselves.

Nine former staffers in total spoke to reporters, painting a picture of a volatile office. One alleged incident involved Peltola shoving a male staffer in the chest inside her congressional office in February 2024, after she could not find a memo before a meeting. Another described a water bottle shoved toward an aide’s face during a tense moment, which some staffers called lighthearted and others did not.

Peltola served in the House representing Alaska before launching her Senate run this cycle. She has built a public image as a supporter of LGBTQ rights, which is part of why the allegations landed with such force. A candidate branding herself an ally while allegedly slurring her own gay staff is the kind of contradiction voters notice fast, especially in a race this close.

The Campaign’s Denial And Partial Admission

Peltola’s campaign spokesman, Harry Child, pushed back hard on the homophobic slur allegation, calling it exaggerated and untrue. But the campaign did not deny everything. It acknowledged Peltola used the ableist slur “retarded” in text messages and said she now regrets that language. That partial admission matters. It tells voters the campaign trusts the Times reporting enough to concede one slur while contesting the other.

Child leaned on a grief-based explanation, saying Peltola lost her husband and her mother within a few months of each other in 2023. He argued that period of loss does not reflect who she truly is as a boss. That explanation may earn some sympathy, but it does not erase four separate former staffers telling reporters what they personally heard her say about her own team.

Ric Grenell’s Hypocrisy Charge Lands Hard

Ric Grenell, the former acting Director of National Intelligence and a prominent gay conservative voice, seized on the contradiction. He called Peltola a hypocrite for campaigning as an LGBTQ ally while allegedly using a gay slur against her own gay staffers. It’s a fair point. Democrats spent years demanding Republicans answer for far less serious language slip-ups. Peltola should face the same standard she and her party have set for others.

Grief Defense Meets Political Reality

Some prominent Democrats and liberal commentators rushed to defend Peltola after the story broke, questioning the credibility of anonymous sources. But nine former staffers, several describing the same slur independently, is not a flimsy tip. It’s a pattern serious enough that even her own campaign felt forced to admit part of it. Reporters noted Peltola avoided direct questions about the story when approached by local outlets after publication.

🚨 RULES FOR THEE… not for Mary Peltola.

The Dem running to flip Alaska’s Senate seat just got hit by the New York Times.

Nine former staffers. Allegations of: • The F-slur — aimed at her own staff • The R-word in texts (“F*** that rd”) • Shoving an aide • Texting she… pic.twitter.com/nMDLcGC9C9

— 🇺🇸JB MAGA 🇺🇸 (@JBMAGA03) September 24, 2026

Congress has a long, documented history of staff mistreatment allegations across both parties, from harassment findings to hostile work environment complaints. That history doesn’t excuse Peltola. It does mean voters in Alaska should weigh this the same way they’d weigh it for any candidate, regardless of party, before deciding who deserves their trust in the Senate.

No allegation here has been proven in court, and Peltola’s campaign disputes the most serious slur claim while admitting the other. But the number of former aides describing similar behavior, combined with her campaign’s own partial admission, gives this story real weight heading into a competitive Alaska race.