Dolores Huerta's death sparks an outpouring from allies and admirers

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Dolores Huerta's death on Wednesday provoked an outpouring of emotions from her allies on social causes and many others who were inspired by her legacy. They shared stories about becoming public servants, volunteering and organizing within their own communities because of Huerta.

Deanna Muñoz, founder and president of the Chicano Center for the Arts in Missouri, never met the civil rights icon, but she told The Associated Press that Huerta's courage, love and sense of purpose live on in people who refuse to be silent.

“She taught generations of Chicanas like me that we don’t have to ask permission to take up space, that our voices matter, and that standing up for our people is never something we should apologize for,” Muñoz posted on social media.

Here's more reaction to Huerta and her legacy:

“Dolores shared a cherished friendship with my beloved mother, Coretta Scott King, forged through their shared commitment to justice and their work advancing the Civil Rights Movement. Their friendship reflected the deep bonds between the struggles for Black and Latino equality and the belief that our collective strength will always be greater than the forces seeking to divide us.”

“Dolores fought for working people. She organized in the fields, she walked the picket lines, and she sat across the table from people who never expected to have to negotiate with her. I say often the middle class built this country, and unions built the middle class. Dolores understood that in her bones. Well into her nineties she was still traveling, marching and organizing for working families, for women, for immigrants, for LGBTQ Americans. Even this year, she showed a different kind of courage, telling a painful truth she had carried for sixty years so others would not have to carry theirs alone. America is fairer and more decent because of Dolores Huerta.”

“The work of Dolores Huerta and the United Farm Workers was a driving force for change across California and our country... Thanks to her, immigrants and workers won better wages, working conditions, environmental protections, and voting rights. I was blessed to know Dolores for many years and proud to organize alongside my dear friend to champion working families and immigrant rights.”

“Dolores inspired so many of us to activism. I admired her from a very young age, and it was an incredible honor and privilege not only to meet and know her, but to call her a friend. ... Her legacy is one of dignity and equality for all, and proof of what ordinary people can accomplish when they organize. Dolores reminded us that no matter the odds, no matter the obstacle, we can build a greater life for ourselves, our community, our city, and our country.”

“At every rally, Dolores Huerta would ask, “Who has the power?” And together, we would roar back, “The people have the power!” She spent her life reminding us that power doesn’t belong to the wealthy or the powerful. It belongs to the people who march, who organize, who vote, who stand up for one another. Dolores may not be here to lead the chant, but her voice will echo through generations. And every time we raise our voices for justice, we will answer her call.”

“When Dolores turned 21, she celebrated her birthday by registering to vote. As we honor her today and every day, let’s do our part to fight for labor rights, to fight for civil rights, and to make our voices heard at the ballot box. May she rest in peace and power.”

“Without Dolores, Latino Victory would not exist — we are eternally grateful to her for breaking barriers and paving the way for Latino civil rights, political power, and Latina activism. She inspired millions, and the best way to honor her memory is to keep advocating for working families and civil rights, and to strengthen Latino political power.”

“Dolores Huerta’s living legacy is her lifelong struggle for justice for the farmworkers who feed our nation. My family and I were honored to work alongside her for more than 50 years, inspired by her leadership and powerful voice across the United States and Mexico. She understood that our diversity is our greatest strength and that together, we can build a more just and inclusive America. In her words, we can change the world for the better: ¡Sí se puede!”

“Huerta showed extreme bravery and fortitude, even toward the end of her life when she powerfully reminded everyone that every survivor should be heard, believed and supported. We hope to honor Dolores Huerta by continuing the work of achieving justice for all and supporting workers across every community.”

“Well into her nineties, Dolores spoke hard truths regardless of personal cost. She showed up for people who were at risk, taken advantage of, underserved and unheard until the day she died. My heart is with her family and the Dolores Huerta Foundation. Rest in power, Dolores.”

“Dolores Huerta was a force to be reckoned with, and she made no apologies for it. She confronted those in power, refused to be silenced and dedicated her life to workers who deserved dignity, fair wages and a better future. ... She never backed down, and neither should we. Her legacy asks something of each of us: to stand firm even when it’s hard and even when the odds are against us.”

A photo of the late Dolores Huerta is on display as part of a "Dia de los Muertos" altar display at Dolores Huerta Elementary School, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Allison Serkes, left, and Marissa Sanchez, both parents of children at Dolores Huerta Elementary School, look toward a photo of Huerta, center, in a Dia de los Muertos display at the school, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

A collection of photographs, candles and flowers adorn an altar in honor of Dolores Huerta at Old Town Plaza in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan)

In this photo made with a smartphone, photographs and handwritten messages are part of an altar set up in honor of Dolores Huerta at Old Town Plaza in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan)

Dolores Huerta Elementary School community schools coordinator Alejandro Cuevas, left, and family liaison Magali Ramirez work on a tribute to Huerta at the entrance of the school, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

FILE - Dolores Huerta attends an election night event for California gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra, June 2, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)

FILE - Civil rights leader Dolores Huerta speaks during the final day of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, July 28, 2016. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — President Donald Trump called for the criminal prosecution of the Democratic candidate running for Senate in Alaska on Wednesday after revelations that her campaign appeared to be involved in recruiting a candidate with the same name as Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan.

The race is among a handful of Senate contests this year expected to determine control of the chamber. Trump had previously directed his Department of Justice to sue to block certification of the Senate race should Democrat Mary Peltola defeat Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan.

“I think they should be prosecuted,” the Republican president said about Peltola and the other Sullivan, responding to questions about a report in The New York Times. He earlier had posted on social media that “Peltola should suffer the Legal and Political consequences for what she has done.”

The newspaper obtained text messages between members of Peltola's campaign discussing recruiting other people with the same name as the two-term Republican. They eventually landed on a retired schoolteacher in the small fishing community of Petersburg named Dan J. Sullivan. He made it through the state's August open primary and is one of four candidates on the ranked vote ballot for next Tuesday's general election.

Dan J. Sullivan has long denied he was running at Democrats’ behest and has said he had no contact with Peltola's campaign: “Zero, none, zilch,” he said in June after announcing his run.

He did not respond to a message seeking comment Wednesday from The Associated Press.

Peltola's campaign, in a statement, said: “Mary got in this race because Alaskans deserve a champion who is fighting to lower their costs and put Alaska first, and no tweet or threat from any DC politician will keep her away from that fight.”

During a campaign stop in Soldotna, Peltola suggested the Times' report was a “distraction" from issues such as Sen. Sullivan's support of the war in Iran.

“This is just another diversion,” she said in a video posted online. “This is all stuff to sell newspapers. This is all stuff to get subscriptions."

Earlier this year, a top state elections official ruled Dan J. Sullivan ineligible for the primary ballot, concluding that his declaration of candidacy was filed "with a purpose to confuse or mislead and to thereby compromise the ballot’s fairness or neutrality.”

The case went to the Alaska Supreme Court, which ruled he was qualified to run.

Alaska Republican U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who has endorsed Sullivan and is a longtime friend of Peltola, said in a statement that Alaskans “deserve the honest truth from Mary and her campaign — what has been revealed is a pattern of lies and coverups and a culture of deception that belongs nowhere in our elections or among our elected officials.”

Nate Adams, a spokesperson for Sen. Sullivan’s campaign, said: “Mary Peltola, her campaign and her senior advisers colluded with the DSCC, national Democrat lawyers and Alaska Democrat operatives to recruit candidates to deliberately confuse and deceive voters.”

Peltola's campaign, in a statement Wednesday, said it “has no involvement with either Sullivan campaign.” They issued a similar statement in June after Sen. Sullivan questioned the other Sullivan's candidacy.

Democrats, including the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, have repeatedly denied that they were involved in any campaign trick.

“The DSCC is not involved with Dan J. Sullivan," the organization said in a statement Wednesday. The Times report said DSCC staffers were on texts with the Peltola campaign discussing the second Sullivan.

Legal experts said the report about Democrats appearing to recruit Dan J. Sullivan as a way to potentially confuse voters will have no impact on a lawsuit filed recently by the U.S. Department of Justice. President Donald Trump directed the department to file the lawsuit, which seeks to halt certification of a possible Peltola win, citing the presence of the second Dan Sullivan on the ballot.

“It’s a dirty campaign trick, and it’s good reason the Alaska Supreme Court should have permitted the candidate to have been removed from the ballot,” said Derek Muller, a Notre Dame law professor. “But now it’s in the hands of the voters, not litigation.”

It's not the first time a candidate's appearance on the Alaska ballot has been questioned. In 2024, the state Democratic Party sued to keep off the U.S. House ballot a man with no apparent ties to the state who is serving time in a federal prison in New York. A divided state Supreme Court allowed him to remain on the ballot. The man is running again this year, also in the House race, and is on the Nov. 3 ranked vote general election ballot.

The Times story about the recruitment of Dan J. Sullivan is based partly on interviews with Peltola's former campaign manager, Elisa Rios, who was fired in August amid a campaign shake-up. The newspaper said she tried to retract her comments last week. Efforts by the AP to reach Rios were not immediately successful.

As of Monday, 46,204 ballots had already been cast in Alaska, according to AP data. Sen. Sullivan is listed on the ballot as the Republican incumbent. The other Sullivan is listed as Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., with no party affiliation.

Riccardi reported from Denver.

President Donald Trump speaks to reporters before boarding Air Force One, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, at Joint Base Andrews, Md. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

FILE - Dan Sullivan, a candidate in Alaska's U.S. Senate race who shares a name with the incumbent seeking reelection, talks in front of a welcome sign near downtown Petersburg, Alaska, July 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer, File)

In this photo shot with a smart phone, Alaska Republican U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan poses ahead of a debate with Democrat Mary Peltola in Alaska's Senate race, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, in Anchorage, Alaska. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer)

In this photo shot with a smart phone, Democrat Mary Peltola smiles ahead of a debate with Republican U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan in Alaska's Senate race, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, in Anchorage, Alaska. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer)

A sample election ballot is displayed in Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday, Oct. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Haven Daley)