During Election Day 2026 in Alaska, a local voter expressed disgust at a reported scheme to place a “decoy” candidate named Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. on the Senate ballot alongside incumbent Republican Sen. Dan S. Sullivan. The voter, who asked to remain anonymous, said the story sounded “sketchy from the get‑go” and that the revelation made him switch his support firmly to the incumbent.
Alaska’s ranked‑choice Senate race draws national attention
The Alaska Senate race is conducted under a ranked‑choice voting system, a process that has attracted national scrutiny this cycle. The controversy centers on a candidate whose name closely mirrors that of the sitting senator, raising concerns that voters could be unintentionally misled.
According to a recent New York Times report, Democrats allegedly recruited Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. to run as a spoiler. The report suggested the effort was designed to split the Republican vote and give former Rep. Mary Peltola, the Democratic challenger, a better chance of winning.
When asked about the alleged plot, the unnamed voter said, “When the New York Times article came out, I was disgusted by the whole thing, so sleazy.” He added that he had previously considered voting for Mary Peltola but decided against it after learning of the alleged scheme.
Local perspectives on the alleged scheme
A woman accompanying the voter confirmed his sentiment, describing the tactic as “unethical” and stating she does not believe Peltola should be elected under those circumstances. Both individuals said they will cast their ballots for Sen. Dan S. Sullivan.
Sen. Sullivan himself addressed the issue in a recent speech, saying, “We all knew that the decoy Dan guy was fake, but the extent of the corruption, the extent of the cheating.” He framed the situation as an attack on the integrity of Alaska’s electoral process.
President Trump backs Sen. Sullivan
President Donald Trump took to Truth Social on Monday night to voice his support for the incumbent senator. “Senator Dan S. Sullivan, the Best Senator in the History of Alaska, and one of the Best in the Country, should be running his Senatorial Race in Alaska, ‘UNDER PROTEST,’ for the FRAUD that has been committed against him in putting another Dan Sullivan on the Ballot,” Trump wrote. He concluded, “Dan Sullivan against Dan Sullivan — How ridiculous is that?”
Responses from the campaigns
Mary Peltola’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In a rally speech last week, Peltola denied any involvement in the alleged scheme, stating, “I knew nothing about any other candidates on the ballot except for me and the incumbent. That is all I have ever known about. I am not interested in tricking voters. I know I can beat Dan Sullivan.”
The Department of Justice is reportedly pursuing a separate criminal investigation related to the Alaska election, a matter that has been highlighted in other recent reporting.
What this means for Alaska voters
Alaska voters now face a decision that goes beyond party affiliation. The controversy underscores the importance of voter awareness in a ranked‑choice system, where a single mis‑identified name could alter the flow of preferences. Local election officials have urged voters to review the full ballot and verify candidate names before casting their votes.
With President Trump’s endorsement and the incumbent’s own condemnation of the alleged decoy, the race is shaping up as a test of both political loyalty and the resilience of Alaska’s electoral safeguards.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
