Alaska ballot dispute draws federal scrutiny
Two candidates named Dan Sullivan appear on the state’s midterms, prompting an investigation into whether the race was manipulated.
By Anthony Brooks ·
President Donald Trump and Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska have accused Democratic opponents of confusing voters after two candidates with the same name appeared on the state’s midterm ballot for the U.S. Senate. The dispute centers on Democratic candidate Mary Peltola, whom several Republicans allege attempted to recruit a challenger with the same name as the incumbent senator.
The New York Times reported on Wednesday that Peltola’s staff tried to secure a candidate named Dan Sullivan. While the effort is not illegal, the reports prompted Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy to order an investigation into alleged election manipulation. Trump criticized the move on Thursday before departing for South Carolina, describing the situation as a fraud.
“So nobody’s going to know what to do. That’s a fraud. And it shouldn’t be allowed to happen. And it was done in conjunction with Schumer and everybody else. It’s an absolute, it’s called voter fraud,” Trump said. Vice President JD Vance echoed the sentiment later that day, calling the episode disgraceful and suggesting a moral failing regardless of criminal liability.
Peltola’s campaign responded in a statement, asserting it had no involvement with either Sullivan campaign. The campaign’s position contrasts with the view held by the president and other Republicans that the naming coincidence was intentional. The state’s highest court previously ruled that both men should remain on the ballot.
On the ballot, Daniel J. Sullivan appears without modifiers. Daniel S. Sullivan is listed with the labels incumbent and Republican next to his name. Alaska uses ranked choice voting for its elections. If no candidate wins a majority in the Senate race after the midterms, the ranked choices will be tallied to determine the winner.
Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, chair of the House Oversight Committee, announced on Thursday that he is launching an investigation into whether the Peltola campaign tried to intentionally confuse voters. Comer issued a letter requesting in-person testimony from key Peltola staffers next week. The federal inquiry adds a new layer of scrutiny to the state’s upcoming election.
Source: WWSB
