Alaska Senate Fight Draws Scrutiny as Trump Stumps in States He Won Handily
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The Alaska Senate contest is mired in allegations that Mary Peltola’s campaign tried to manipulate voters, while President Donald Trump closes his midterm push with rallies in Iowa and Kansas amid claims of voter fraud and broader anxiety over election integrity.
The Alaska Senate race has become a flashpoint in a deeply ugly political controversy after allegations surfaced that Democratic candidate Mary Peltola's campaign tried to recruit another candidate named Dan Sullivan in order to mislead voters. Incumbent GOP Senator Dan Sullivan denounced Peltola's campaign on CNN's "State of the Union," saying the behavior could carry legal consequences, while still leaving the legal judgment to experts. "I’ll let the lawyers figure that out," he said, stressing that what matters most to him is how Peltola and her team treat Alaskans.
Sullivan cited a 150-year-old law intended to protect constitutional rights as a possible legal foundation for the claims against Peltola's campaign. He also pointed to a New York Times report suggesting that Peltola knew about the scheme, arguing that the episode could seriously damage her standing with voters. Even so, Sullivan said he would respect the result of the election no matter what, declaring, "No, I’m going to accept the election results."
At the same time, President Donald Trump is wrapping up his midterm campaign with rallies in Iowa and Kansas, two states he carried by large margins in the last election. With more than 50 million early votes already cast, Trump is zeroing in on key Senate races that could determine whether Republicans keep control of the upper chamber. In Iowa, early voting data points to strong Democratic turnout, while Kansas has produced only a modest Republican edge compared with previous midterms.
As Election Day nears, Trump has repeated baseless claims about widespread voter fraud, fueling concerns about public confidence in the electoral process. The White House has also challenged the ordinary nature of results shifting as ballots are counted, even though that is a standard part of elections. Election Day is set for November 3, and continuing investigations into the alleged voter-confusion tactics in Alaska are adding yet more tension to an already volatile political moment.