Former congresswoman Peltola’s team allegedly sought a namesake of Senator Sullivan — The Guardian
In Alaska, the team of former U.S. House member Mary Peltola allegedly participated in finding a candidate with an almost identical name to incumbent Republican Senator Dan Sullivan. Both Dan Sullivans are expected to appear on the ballot in next week’s U.S. Senate election, The Guardian reports, citing The New York Times.
According to the NYT, representatives of Peltola’s team, together with the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), searched Alaska for people named Dan Sullivan and encouraged them to run. The publication cites interviews with Peltola’s former campaign manager Elisa Rios, other sources, as well as documents and correspondence related to the search for a candidate.
Peltola’s team denied involvement in either Sullivan campaign. The DSCC also said it had no connection to the campaign of Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. Nate Adams, a spokesperson for the incumbent senator’s campaign, called the situation an attempt to mislead voters.
Two candidates with the same name
Republicans had previously criticized the appearance of a second Dan Sullivan in the race, arguing that it could split the votes of the incumbent senator’s supporters. The other candidate is a retiree from southeastern Alaska with limited political experience.
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State election officials attempted to remove him from the August primary, but the Alaska Supreme Court ruled that he could run. He was among the four candidates who received the most votes in the nonpartisan primary, along with the incumbent senator and Peltola.
Ballot labels and Trump’s reaction
On the ballot, the incumbent senator will be listed as “Sullivan, Dan S. (Registered Republican) Incumbent,” while his namesake will be listed as “Sullivan, Daniel J. Jr.” The incumbent senator is running for a third term.
Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump said he had instructed the Department of Justice to file a lawsuit in an attempt to block certification of the Senate election results if the incumbent senator loses. He explained this by the possible confusion of voters caused by the presence on the ballot of a candidate with a similar name.
The Alaska race is among the key contests for Democrats, who seek to regain a majority in the U.S. Senate. Republicans currently hold 53 seats in the upper chamber of Congress and Democrats hold 47, while recent polls, according to The Guardian, showed Peltola in the lead.
