President Donald Trump used a post‑rally interview with Fox News in Anchorage to flag what he described as a troubling development in the Alaska Senate race. An independent candidate who also goes by the name Dan Sullivan is on the ballot alongside incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan. Trump said federal authorities are “looking into” the matter, suggesting the duplicate listing is a Democratic ploy to split the Republican vote.
Alaska Senate ballot confusion
“We are looking, I can’t say federal, but we are looking into it. It’s a disgrace,” Trump said. “I call him the real Dan Sullivan, a great senator from Alaska. And in the race, they put somebody named Dan Sullivan who knows nothing about politics. His name happens to be Dan Sullivan. They even wanted to change his middle initial, which was different. They wanted to make it an S so that it could be exactly correct. I think it’s just terrible that they did it.”
Trump added that the independent Dan Sullivan earned only a few points in the primary, while the incumbent Republican won comfortably. He labeled the situation “another hoax by the Democrats,” implying that the ballot design could confuse voters and siphon support from the incumbent.
Gubernatorial endorsement
Turning to the Alaska governor’s race, Trump reiterated his endorsement of Republican Bernadette Wilson, who won the GOP primary. He urged her remaining Republican opponent, former Anchorage mayor Dave Bronson, to withdraw, noting that Bronson lost the primary by a substantial margin. “He doesn’t have to, but he should, because, frankly, he lost in the primary by substantial numbers to Bernadette,” Trump said. “I don’t like that we have three Republicans running against one Democrat. Those odds are not good for the party.”
Trump emphasized his desire to see a unified Republican ticket to protect Alaska’s interests, especially in the face of a Democratic challenger, Rep. Mary Peltola, who has criticized Sen. Sullivan’s vote on the Iran‑related war measure.
Iran war and gas prices
During the same interview, the president defended the administration’s stance on the conflict with Iran, arguing that higher gasoline prices are a “small price to pay” to prevent Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. He warned, “Can you imagine if they attacked our cities, including right here in Alaska? You would see turmoil far greater.” He predicted that the war would end soon and that oil flow would increase, driving gasoline prices back down to pre‑conflict levels.
Trump recalled that at one point gasoline was as low as $1.85 per gallon in parts of the country and suggested the market could see similar lows again once the conflict resolves.
What Alaska voters should watch
Alaska voters heading to the polls this November should verify the names on the ballot to ensure they are selecting the intended candidates. The presence of two candidates named Dan Sullivan could cause confusion, especially for voters who rely on name recognition alone. Election officials have not yet commented on any formal investigation into the ballot design.
Meanwhile, the Republican gubernatorial field remains unsettled. Wilson’s campaign is urging party unity, while Bronson has not announced any plans to exit the race. The outcome will shape Alaska’s policy direction on energy, natural resources, and federal‑state relations.
Both the Senate and governor’s races are set to be closely watched as Alaska’s unique political landscape continues to evolve under the broader national conversation about election integrity and foreign policy.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
