President Trump accused Democrats and the campaign of Mary Peltola of fraud and perjury following published reports that campaign aides assisted in recruiting a second candidate named Dan Sullivan to enter Alaska’s closely contested Senate race. The unfolding controversy threatens to complicate the reelection bid of the Republican incumbent, Senator Dan Sullivan, in a state that utilizes ranked-choice voting where voters rank candidates in order of preference.
Reports detailed that Peltola campaign aides collaborated with a veteran Democratic operative, Jerid Kurtz, who is experienced in ballot-related political tactics. According to the reports, a Peltola staffer was instructed to search for individuals named Dan Sullivan throughout the state. The effort successfully identified Dan J. Sullivan, a retired teacher who registered as a Republican shortly before filing his candidacy. Dan J. Sullivan previously stated he voted for Democrats in the past three presidential elections before changing his party registration to undeclared. He will appear on the November ballot without a political party label.
Responding to the reports in a Wednesday post on social media, Trump asserted that Democrats illegally searched for and recruited a candidate to run against the incumbent Republican senator to confuse voters and draw votes away from the primary GOP candidate. Trump alleged that false statements were made under oath in federal court, arguing that those involved committed perjury and should face serious legal consequences. Furthermore, Trump called for Peltola to face legal and political repercussions, claiming the situation amounts to a fraud on the public, and argued that the incumbent should run without opposition from either Peltola or the second candidate. Trump did not provide evidence to support his claims of election fraud.
In response, a spokesperson for the Alaskans for Mary campaign defended the candidate in a Wednesday night statement, asserting that Peltola entered the race to advocate for lower costs and put Alaska first, and maintained that no threats from political figures would halt that mission. The campaign explicitly denied any involvement with either Sullivan campaign and confirmed that no assertions have been made in federal court regarding how Dan J. Sullivan’s candidacy originated or who participated in his decision to run.
Meanwhile, the administration has taken legal action, suing Alaska to delay the certification of the Senate election results if the Republican incumbent narrowly loses, pending an investigation into potential voter confusion. In connection with that litigation, Peltola’s campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee have sought to intervene by asking a federal judge to dismiss the lawsuit. Additional organizations, including the ACLU, the League of Women Voters of Alaska, and Common Cause, are also seeking to join the case as the legal and political battles intensify ahead of the election.
