Federal investigation focuses on Alaska candidate Dan J. Sullivan amid election controversy
Select a version of the text written from a presumed ideological perspective. This is not the original text, but a hypothetical version — how someone with that viewpoint might have phrased it. Tapping the current version again will return to the original or select cleaned version.
Federal agents are questioning donors in Petersburg, Alaska, after a lawsuit tied to the Trump administration was dismissed, while incumbent Senator Dan Sullivan faces a competitive race against Democrat Mary Peltola.
Federal investigators have visited the small fishing town of Petersburg, Alaska, to interview donors who contributed to the campaign of Dan J. Sullivan, a former elementary school teacher who entered the U.S. Senate race as a Republican challenger to incumbent Senator Dan Sullivan. Residents said agents arrived on Saturday and Friday night, asking about possible campaign-finance violations linked to a broader probe into alleged efforts by Democratic operatives to recruit decoy candidates.
The probe follows a federal lawsuit filed by the Trump administration that sought to block certification of the election results if Democrat Mary Peltola were to win. A federal judge dismissed the suit on Sunday, and the Justice Department has appealed the decision.
Sullivan, who has denied any coordination with Peltola’s campaign, told the Associated Press in June that he entered the race of his own accord and had no contact with Democratic operatives. "This is my choice," he said at the time.
Peltola, a former U.S. representative, has rejected allegations that her supporters were involved in recruiting spoiler candidates. "This is Alaska. We're not in the business of tricking each other up here," she told supporters at a rally in Anchorage.
Local donors expressed mixed reactions. Sharon Hunter, who contributed $1,000 with her husband, called the investigation a waste of taxpayer money. "I'm a bit incredulous about their whole angle," she said. Another donor, Anna Holmes, said agents asked whether she intended to contribute to Senator Sullivan’s campaign, to which she replied, "I would not have done that."
Some residents defended Sullivan, recalling his work with the after-school program Little Kids Rock, while others criticized the episode as "sleazy" and an example of political dirty tricks. The incident highlights Alaska’s history of close races and the use of open primaries and ranked-choice voting, which can enable lesser-known candidates to influence outcomes.
The investigation continues as the Senate race heads toward the November election, with both candidates seeking to secure a decisive victory in a state where roughly 60% of voters identify as independents.