Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy announced Wednesday that he is ordering a state investigation into a New York Times report that claims the campaign of Democratic Senate hopeful Mary Peltora was involved in a scheme to recruit a “spoiler” candidate with the same name as incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan. The governor said the report provides “disturbing new evidence” of an organized effort to manipulate Alaska’s elections.
Details of the alleged scheme
The New York Times article alleges that the Peltora campaign coordinated with a separate “namesake” candidate to split the vote for Sen. Dan Sullivan, potentially altering the outcome of a race that could decide control of the U.S. Senate. The report also cites a clip posted by the National Republican Senatorial Committee in which Peltora said, “It should be a criminal offense to lie or mislead the electorate.” Conservatives on social media seized on the quote, urging Peltora to turn herself in.
Conservative commentator Dustin Grage wrote on X, “Your terms are acceptable,” while former Trump campaign press secretary Hogan Gidley added, “Amen, Mary!” Radio host Jason Rantz and Fox News contributor Marc Thiessen echoed the call for accountability.
State and federal response
Gov. Dunleavy’s office posted that the Alaska Division of Elections had already investigated similar concerns in June and that the new reporting “substantially supports” those findings. He directed the Department of Public Safety to determine whether any Alaska statutes were violated and whether criminal or civil action is warranted.
Federal prosecutors are also reportedly conducting an “aggressive criminal investigation” into how the second Sullivan secured a spot on the ballot. Sources familiar with the probe say grand jury subpoenas are being prepared and that the Department of Justice is examining possible violations of voters’ rights. The DOJ declined to comment on the ongoing investigation.
Peltora’s reaction
Peltora’s campaign dismissed the allegations as a distraction, accusing the New York Times of trying to “sell newspapers.” The campaign reiterated that the “Alaskans for Mary” operation “has no involvement with either Sullivan campaign.”
Critics of the alleged scheme argue that recruiting a similarly named candidate is a common, albeit aggressive, campaign tactic rather than a criminal act. They describe the strategy as a “dirty trick” used in competitive races.
What’s next
The investigations by both state and federal authorities are expected to continue beyond Election Day. If the probes find evidence of wrongdoing, Alaska could see criminal charges or civil penalties filed against the parties involved.
Alaska voters will be watching closely as the race heads toward the November ballot, aware that the outcome will affect the balance of power in the U.S. Senate.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
