Governor Dunleavy Orders Probe Into Alleged Spoiler Candidate in Senate Race

Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy ordered the Department of Public Safety to investigate whether a second Dan Sullivan on the U.S. Senate ballot violated state law. The directive came Wednesday night, hours after a report detailed efforts by Democratic operatives to recruit the non-incumbent candidate. The governor’s office stated it will examine if criminal charges or civil action are warranted regarding the scheme.

The controversy centers on two candidates sharing the same name in a closely contested race that could determine Senate control. A New York Times report, based on communications among attorneys and senior aides at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, alleged that the party sought to place the challenger on the ballot to confuse voters. The non-incumbent Sullivan is not the sitting senator, but his presence on the ticket creates a potential trap for voters who mark their ballots incorrectly.

Mary Peltola, the Democratic former congresswoman challenging incumbent Republican Senator Dan Sullivan, denied involvement in the recruitment. Speaking during a campaign stop on Wednesday, Peltola described the news as a distraction from the main issues in the race. The DSCC reiterated its previous denials of involvement after the story broke.

Republican officials reacted quickly to the reporting. Nate Adams, a spokesperson for the incumbent, accused Peltola and her team of gaslighting voters by denying a scheme they allegedly executed. President Donald Trump called the situation voter fraud at the highest level in an online post.

The Justice Department had already intervened in the race last week. Federal officials asked a court to delay certification of the result if the incumbent loses by a small margin, citing potential voter confusion. On Thursday, the department filed an amended complaint that specifically referenced the new reporting as an expansion of its investigative options.

State officials previously allowed the non-incumbent Sullivan to remain on the ballot after the Alaska Supreme Court ruled in June that he qualified to appear there. The candidate advanced from a nonpartisan primary that places the top four vote-getters on the general election ballot. He has stated that his decision to run was his own, though he did not respond to recent requests for comment about the latest allegations.

Election law experts note that the Constitution grants states primary control over elections, which complicated the federal legal arguments. Elaine Kamarck, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, described such tactics as standard fare in modern campaigns. She noted that the internet facilitates both the spread of tricks and the corrections to them.