Alaska Election: Governor Orders Probe Into Spoiler Candidate

Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy ordered the state Department of Public Safety to investigate the U.S. Senate race following a report on a second Dan Sullivan’s candidacy. The probe will determine if the scheme violated state laws and whether criminal or civil action is warranted.

The directive came after a New York Times report detailed efforts by Democratic operatives to recruit a non-incumbent candidate with the same name as the GOP incumbent. The story, based on interviews with attorneys and advisers for Democrat Mary Peltola, suggests campaign staff and senior aides at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee worked to boost the challenger.

Peltola, a former congresswoman, is running to flip the seat in a toss-up race that could determine control of the chamber. Her campaign and the DSCC denied involvement in the non-incumbent Sullivan’s candidacy, maintaining that stance after the report published. Peltola called the story a distraction while campaigning Wednesday.

Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan’s spokesperson, Nate Adams, accused the Peltola campaign of gaslighting voters. President Donald Trump labeled the situation voter fraud at the highest level in an online post. The Justice Department had previously asked a court to delay certification if the incumbent lost by a small margin, citing potential confusion from the shared name on the ballot.

Election law experts criticized the initial legal effort, noting the Constitution grants states control over elections. However, Justice Department officials stated Thursday that the new reporting expands their options. They filed an amended complaint citing the recent coverage.

The non-incumbent Sullivan advanced to the general election after Alaska’s nonpartisan primary, which sends the top four vote-getters to the fall ballot. The Alaska Supreme Court ruled in June that the candidate could appear on the ballot despite earlier probes by state officials. The ballot notes which Sullivan is the Republican incumbent.

Elaine Kamarck, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, described such maneuvers as standard fare for campaigns. She noted that the internet allows for quick dissemination of information about tricks and corrections. Some voters compared the situation to Republican spending supporting a federal prisoner on Alaska’s U.S. House ballot.

Alaska uses a ranked-choice voting system for the general election. If voters are confused, they can rank both Sullivans without ranking Peltola. Voters will also decide whether to keep the state’s unique election system on the same ballot. The non-incumbent Sullivan did not respond to requests for comment but has previously said it was his decision to run.