At a rally in an Anchorage airplane hangar packed with roughly 300 supporters, Democratic Senate nominee Mary Peltova strongly denied allegations that her campaign helped recruit a Republican candidate named Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. to confuse voters. Peltova said she was “deeply offended” by the accusations and emphasized that her campaign wants fewer candidates, not more.
Federal lawsuit intensifies
On Thursday the U.S. Department of Justice filed an amended 21‑page complaint in U.S. District Court seeking to block certification of Alaska’s November Senate race if the namesake candidate is found to have skewed the outcome. The filing targets the State of Alaska, Division of Elections Director Carol Beecher, local election boards, and the State Ballot Counting Review Board.
Federal prosecutors allege that operatives working for Peltova orchestrated a “Ballot Composition Project” to place Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., a retired schoolteacher from Petersburg, on the Republican line specifically to siphon votes from incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan. The complaint cites investigative reporting and internal communications that purportedly show campaign staff searching voter rolls for residents named Dan Sullivan before settling on the junior candidate.
State findings support DOJ claims
Alaska’s Division of Elections had already determined on June 15 that Sullivan Jr.’s paperwork was not filed in good faith to pursue a genuine Senate candidacy, but rather to confuse voters and compromise ballot fairness. Officials noted that he had never registered as a Republican, requested to appear on the ballot as “Dan Sullivan,” and used a campaign website that mirrored the incumbent’s visual style.
The Alaska Supreme Court cleared Sullivan Jr. in June to appear on both the August primary and November general‑election ballots. He earned 2.5% of the primary vote and will join Peltova, Sen. Dan Sullivan, and Republican Gerald Heikes in the four‑way general election.
Republican leaders condemn the alleged scheme
Governor Mike Dunleavy, a Republican, ordered the Department of Public Safety to investigate whether the recruitment effort violated state election laws, stating, “Alaskans have a fundamental right to vote for the candidate they actually intend to support. Deliberately tricking voters into casting their ballots for someone else strikes at the integrity of our elections.”
Senate senior Republican Lisa Murkowski issued a written statement calling the tactic “simply wrong” and demanding honesty from Peltova’s campaign. Senate Majority Leader John Thune echoed those concerns on Fox News, calling the situation “unprecedented” and warning that “there needs to be full accountability for everyone involved.”
Peltova’s response
Peltova urged voters to ignore what she called “smear campaigns and the garbage and the hollow accusations,” insisting that the final days of the campaign will decide the outcome. She highlighted her 2022 primary win in a field of 48, defeating high‑profile opponents including Santa Claus and Sarah Palin, and emphasized that her success rests on grassroots support across the state.
Election Day is set for Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Original reporting: Tampa Free Press — read the source article.
