US vice president JD Vance rallies with voters for Senator Dan Sullivan, a Republican in a tight re-election campaign in Alaska. (EPA Images pic)

FAIRBANKS: US vice president JD Vance cast Alaska as Republicans' midterm election firewall in their bid to retain control of Congress as he rallied with voters on Monday for Senator Dan Sullivan, a Republican locked in a tight reelection campaign.

Conservatives aim to stem Democrats’ momentum headed into the vote, with president Donald Trump and Vance embarking on nationwide campaign tours through Election Day on Nov 3.

But many of their stops are in deep conservative territory where Democrats are uncharacteristically competitive. Alaska is one such locale. Sullivan, a two-term lawmaker, is well known in the state and a close Trump ally, and Alaskans voted for Trump in 2024 by a 13-point margin.