Republican Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina declined over the weekend to state whether he would accept the certification of a Democratic victory in Alaska’s high-stakes Senate race, choosing instead to predict a win for the incumbent Republican.
Appearing on television for a Sunday interview, Scott was asked directly by moderator Kristen Welker whether he would recognize election results showing Democrat Mary Peltola winning the battleground seat. Scott bypassed the question, stating, “Dan Sullivan is going to win, Kristen. You know that, and that’s the only thing I’m going to tell you because it’s the truth.”
Scott, who serves as the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, shifted his focus to a recent media report detailing alleged efforts by Democrats to recruit a challenger who shares the exact name of incumbent Republican Senator Dan Sullivan. “What I can tell you about the truth is you can’t trust Mary Peltola’s campaign and the collusion between her campaign and the DSCC,” Scott said, referencing the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
The controversy intensified following a published report detailing allegations that members of the Peltola campaign and the DSCC sought to recruit another candidate named Dan Sullivan. In response to the claims, the DSCC issued a statement declaring it was not involved with candidate Dan J. Sullivan. Peltola also maintained that she had no knowledge of any other contenders on the ballot beyond herself and the incumbent.
When pressed a second time on whether he would accept the certified outcome if Peltola won, Scott again avoided a direct commitment. “Number one, Dan Sullivan, the real Dan Sullivan, will win,” Scott said, adding, “And number two, it actually is a federal offense to confuse voters.”
Previous reporting indicates that individuals who worked to recruit the alternative candidate did not necessarily break the law. Elisa Rios, Peltola’s former campaign manager who was dismissed in August, spoke with reporters before later retracting all statements concerning the 2026 contest.
The legal and political fallout surrounding the race extends beyond the campaign trail. Prior to the recent reports, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit in Alaska attempting to block the certification of the Senate election outcome if incumbent Sullivan is defeated, pointing to potential voter confusion caused by the ballot naming. Following the disclosures, President Donald Trump called for both Peltola and the challenger Sullivan to be removed from the ballot and prosecuted.
Meanwhile, Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy announced that he ordered a state investigation to examine whether the alleged recruitment strategy violated state statutes and whether civil or criminal penalties are warranted.
