Sullivan Accuses Rival of Hiding Role in Ballot Name Mix-Up

Voters in Alaska face a confusing ballot as they approach the final day of a Senate race. The ticket lists two candidates with nearly identical names. Republican incumbent Dan S. Sullivan and a retired schoolteacher named Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. both seek the seat. The presence of the second candidate has intensified a dispute over who recruited him and what the Democratic campaign knew about the arrangement.

Sen. Dan Sullivan asserted on Sunday that his Democratic opponent, Mary Peltola, is continuing to mislead the public. He stated that he doubts her claim of ignorance regarding the involvement of her top aides. Sullivan told CNN’s State of the Union that the situation had been ongoing for a year. He argued it was impossible that Peltola was not informed. He accused her of lying to Alaskans and the media.

Republicans point to a New York Times report published last week as evidence of campaign involvement. The article cited interviews with Peltola’s former campaign manager, text messages, and campaign finance documents. These records showed that an operative seeking to recruit decoy candidates received payment from a group supporting Peltola. Sullivan and other Republicans said this documentation confirmed their long-standing suspicions about the ballot listing.

Peltola maintains that she had no part in recruiting the other candidate. She described the media focus on the issue as a distraction from high consumer prices. She attributed those price increases to the war in Iran, which was launched by President Donald Trump. Both her campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee have denied any involvement in placing the second Sullivan on the ballot.

On Friday, Peltola addressed the issue at a rally in Anchorage. When asked by KTUU if someone on her team might have been involved, she responded, “I have no idea.” She added, “I honestly have no idea.” The candidate listed as Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. has stated that he ran on his own initiative. He is not affiliated with the incumbent’s campaign.

President Trump ordered the Department of Justice to file a lawsuit to halt the certification of a potential Peltola victory. Following the New York Times story, he called for the Democratic candidate to be prosecuted. Federal agents have issued subpoenas in Alaska. The Republican governor has ordered an investigation and suggested he might not certify a Peltola win. Sen. Tim Scott, who leads the Republican Senate committee, said criminal charges could be appropriate. He noted that collusion to confuse voters is often a crime.

Democratic leaders have pushed back against the severity of the response. Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland said candidates with the same name occur frequently in elections. He called the strategy “stupid politics” but noted that Peltola has denied responsibility. Sen. Bernie Sanders agreed that the move seemed unwise but not illegal. He stated that similar situations happen in every election. Sullivan said he would let lawyers decide if crimes occurred. He expressed confidence that the name confusion would cost him votes. He stated he would accept the final election results.