Alaska Ballot Names Spark Senate Fight
Two candidates named Dan Sullivan appear on the state's midterm ballot, prompting calls for a federal and state investigation into the Democratic campaign.
By Amelia Foster ·
President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance are accusing the Democratic U.S. Senate campaign in Alaska of confusing voters by placing two candidates with the same name on the ballot. The dispute centers on Daniel J. Sullivan and incumbent Sen. Dan S. Sullivan, both of whom are running for the same seat.
The controversy began when The New York Times reported that Mary Peltola's campaign staff attempted to recruit a candidate with the same name as the Republican senator. Peltola, a former congresswoman, is the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate. The effort to match the incumbent's name is legal under Alaska state law, but it has drawn sharp criticism from top Republicans.
Gov. Mike Dunleavy, a Republican, ordered a state investigation into alleged election manipulation. He joined the growing list of officials questioning the timing and intent behind the ballot placement. The Alaska Supreme Court previously ruled that both men should remain on the ballot despite the identical first and last names.
On the ballot, Daniel J. Sullivan appears without any additional identifiers. In contrast, Daniel S. Sullivan is listed with the labels incumbent and Republican next to his name. The distinction is the only visual marker separating the two candidates for voters in the November election.
President Trump described the situation as a fraud before departing for South Carolina on Thursday. He stated that the move was done in conjunction with Senator Chuck Schumer and other Democrats. Vice President Vance called the action a moral failing, hoping that Alaska voters would punish the Peltola campaign for the confusion.
Peltola's campaign responded in a statement, saying it had no involvement with either Sullivan campaign. The campaign denied that it orchestrated the name overlap to create ambiguity for the electorate.
Representative James Comer, the chair of the House Oversight Committee, announced a federal investigation on Thursday. He sent a letter requesting in-person testimony from key Peltola staffers next week. The midterm elections are scheduled for Tuesday, where ranked choice voting will determine the winner if no candidate secures a majority in the first round.
Source: KMOV
