Alaska Governor Probes Alleged Vote-Splitting Plot in Senate Race
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Governor Mike Dunleavy has ordered a state investigation after a New York Times report described what appears to be a calculated effort by Democratic operatives and allies to recruit a candidate with incumbent Dan Sullivan’s name in order to fragment his vote.
Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy said on Thursday that the state Department of Public Safety will investigate whether a scheme to recruit a candidate named Dan Sullivan, intended to dilute incumbent Republican Senator Dan Sullivan’s vote, violated state law. The inquiry will determine if criminal charges or civil action are warranted, Dunleavy wrote in a post on X.
The investigation follows a New York Times report that cited interviews with 12 individuals and dozens of text messages indicating that the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and allies worked to place a second Dan Sullivan on the ballot. The report also referenced statements from former Peltola campaign manager Elisa Rios, who later retracted her comments about the 2026 race.
"Any organization found to have broken the law must be held accountable," Dunleavy said, describing the revelations as "disturbing new evidence."
President Donald Trump expressed uncertainty about whether Republicans would seat Peltola if she were elected, saying, "you’re going to have to see what happens" and questioning whether she could even be allowed to run.
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee denied involvement, stating, "The DSCC is not involved with Dan J. Sullivan," and added that Republicans have a history of recruiting candidates to benefit their own campaigns.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune called the alleged effort "unprecedented" and suggested it was a coordinated attempt to deceive Alaska voters. Vice President JD Vance said the matter should be examined for possible election fraud, while House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer said his committee is seeking transcripts of interviews with Rios and a Democratic operative linked to the recruitment effort.
Legal analysts noted that recruitment without inducement such as money or threats may not constitute a crime, and there is no evidence that incumbent Sullivan was coerced into running.