Alaska Election Officials Weigh DOJ Lawsuit Over Second Dan Sullivan

Alaska voters will choose between two candidates named Dan Sullivan in the November 3 general election for the state’s U.S. Senate seat. The presence of a second candidate with the incumbent’s name has triggered a federal lawsuit and a public dispute between the campaigns. The race could determine which party controls the U.S. Senate.

The New York Times reported on Wednesday that members of Democrat Mary Peltola’s campaign exchanged text messages about finding a person with the same name as Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan. The goal was to place that person on the ballot to confuse voters. The campaign selected Dan J. Sullivan, a retired schoolteacher from the fishing community of Petersburg. He passed the August open primary and is currently one of four candidates on the ranked choice ballot.

Dan J. Sullivan has consistently stated that he is running independently. In June, following his announcement, he told reporters he had no contact with Peltola’s team. He described their communication as zero, none, and zilch. He did not respond to a message seeking comment on the new report.

A top state elections official initially ruled Dan J. Sullivan ineligible for the ballot. The official argued his candidacy was filed to mislead voters and compromise the fairness of the election. The case reached the Alaska Supreme Court, which reversed that ruling. The court determined he met the constitutional requirements of age, citizenship, and residency to run for the Senate.

President Donald Trump directed the Department of Justice to file a lawsuit last week to prevent the certification of a potential win for Peltola. The suit cites the presence of the second Sullivan on the ballot. On Wednesday, Trump wrote on social media that Peltola should face legal and political consequences. Nate Adams, a spokesperson for Sen. Sullivan, accused Peltola and her advisers of colluding with national Democratic groups to deceive voters.

Peltola’s campaign issued a statement on Wednesday claiming it has no involvement with either Sullivan campaign. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee also denied any role in the recruitment. However, the Times report says DSCC staffers were included in the text conversations with Peltola’s team. The report draws heavily on interviews with Elisa Rios, Peltola’s former campaign manager who was fired in August. Rios attempted to retract her comments last week.

Legal experts say the new information will not change the Department of Justice lawsuit. Derek Muller, a law professor at Notre Dame University, called the recruitment a dirty trick but noted the decision now rests with voters rather than courts. As of Monday, 46,204 ballots had been cast in Alaska. Sen. Sullivan appears on the ballot as the Republican incumbent, while the other candidate is listed as Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. with no party affiliation.

Alaska has a history of contentious ballot challenges. In 2024, the state Democratic Party sued to remove a House candidate serving time in a New York prison. The state Supreme Court allowed him to stay on the ballot. He is running again this year and appears on the November 3 ballot.