Alaska Governor Orders Probe into Alleged Democratic Spoiler Scheme
Governor Mike Dunleavy has launched an investigation into claims that the campaign of Senate candidate Mary Peltola recruited a second candidate named Dan Sullivan to split the vote.
Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy announced on X that he will direct the Department of Public Safety to investigate whether a reported scheme to place a second Dan Sullivan on the U.S. Senate ballot violated state law. The move follows a New York Times report alleging that aides to Democratic candidate Mary Peltola and senior staff of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee attempted to recruit a retired teacher, Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., as a spoiler candidate.
The governor said the inquiry will determine if criminal charges or civil action are warranted, noting that the New York Times story aligns with findings from the state Division of Elections earlier in the year.
Senator Dan Sullivan, the incumbent Republican, urged Peltola to “come clean,” calling the matter a “scandal of the highest order.” His Republican colleague, Lisa Murkowksi, accused the Democratic campaign of a “pattern of lies.” President Donald Trump also referenced the report on Truth Social, reiterating his support for the incumbent senator.
The Alaska Supreme Court previously rejected attempts to remove the teacher Sullivan from the ballot, finding no violation of state law. The Trump administration has filed a legal case seeking to block certification of the election results should the incumbent lose, arguing that the presence of two candidates with similar names could confuse voters.
Election officials will continue to list the two candidates as Dan S. Sullivan, identified as the incumbent, and Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., on the ballot for the June 2025 midterm elections, which are expected to be closely contested nationwide.