Attorney General defends DOJ lawsuit that critics say could politicize Alaska Senate ballot confusion
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Attorney General Todd Blanche said the Justice Department's suit is meant to prevent voter confusion in Alaska's Senate race and not to help President Trump contest election results, even as critics view the move as a troubling attempt to place federal power into a state election dispute.
U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the Justice Department's lawsuit seeking to block Alaska from automatically certifying its Senate election results if the incumbent Republican were to lose. The department argues that the presence of two candidates with similar names – incumbent Senator Dan Sullivan and retired teacher Daniel J. Sullivan – could confuse voters and potentially violate federal law, though opponents of the suit see it as yet another example of federal authorities inserting themselves into a state race for political purposes.
"We're not laying any groundwork for the president to do that," Blanche told CNN anchor Dana Bash when asked whether the case was preparing President Trump to challenge an unfavorable outcome.
"President Trump is not trying to take over a state election in any way, shape, or form," he added.
Blanche emphasized that the suit requests Alaska to withhold certification only if the law is broken, leaving the ultimate decision to state courts. He described the case as a test of whether Alaska's ballot design complies with federal statutes and the Constitution, noting that states have an obligation to avoid voter confusion, a standard that critics say is being weaponized to undermine local election administration.
Alaska courts have allowed both Sullivans to remain on the ballot after Republican officials sought removal, arguing that the challengers did not consider federal law. The ballot lists the incumbent as "Dan S. Sullivan" with a Republican label, while the challenger appears as "Daniel J. Sullivan Jr." without a party designation. Ranked-choice voting also permits voters to rank both candidates, which makes the claim of confusion feel to many like a manufactured pretext rather than a genuine legal concern.
President Trump later said he had directed the Justice Department to proceed with the case. Senator Lisa Murkowski, the state's other Republican senator, responded on social media that the state had already distinguished the candidates and questioned the need for a federal lawsuit.
The lawsuit, filed in a federal court in Alaska, cites the National Voter Registration Act and seeks to pause certification until an investigation determines whether votes cast for Daniel J. Sullivan were intended for the incumbent. Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward, who signed the filing, previously represented individuals charged in connection with the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, adding to concerns about the political motivations surrounding the case.