Alaska Governor Orders Investigation Into Alleged Same-Name Senate Campaign Scheme

Preface

An unusual dispute in Alaska’s US Senate race has prompted Governor Mike Dunleavy to direct state authorities to investigate allegations of a campaign effort involving two candidates with the same name. The controversy centers on incumbent Republican Senator Dan S Sullivan and Daniel J Sullivan Jr., a retired teacher who entered the race. A New York Times report alleged that people connected to Democratic candidate Mary Peltola’s campaign and senior aides at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee tried to recruit the teacher as a potential spoiler candidate. Peltola’s campaign and the committee deny involvement, while the non-incumbent candidate has denied links to her campaign. The central questions are whether any laws were broken and whether voters could be confused by the similar names. The dispute is unfolding during a closely watched election that will help determine control of Congress.

Lazy bag

Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy has ordered an investigation into an alleged effort to recruit a second Dan Sullivan into the US Senate contest. The allegation was reported by the New York Times, but the BBC has not independently verified the reporting. Peltola’s campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee deny involvement, and Daniel J Sullivan Jr. says he has no connection to Peltola’s team. Courts have already rejected Republican efforts to remove him from the ballot. Election law experts say that persuading someone to run is not, by itself, a crime, and that the legal basis for the federal government’s separate lawsuit is disputed. The investigation’s findings, rather than the allegations alone, will determine what happens next.

Main Body

Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy has directed the state Department of Public Safety to investigate whether an alleged effort involving two candidates named Dan Sullivan violated state law. The dispute concerns the US Senate election, where incumbent Republican Senator Dan S Sullivan is seeking re-election against Democratic candidate Mary Peltola and another candidate, Daniel J Sullivan Jr. Dunleavy announced the investigation after a New York Times report described an alleged plan to recruit the second Sullivan into the race.

The governor said he was responding to the newspaper’s reporting and to findings previously made by Alaska’s Division of Elections. His statement did not identify the specific laws that may have been violated and did not name Peltola’s campaign. Dunleavy said the Department of Public Safety should determine whether the alleged conduct broke Alaska law and whether criminal charges or civil action might be warranted. He added that the evidence would guide what happens next.

The New York Times report alleged that people connected to Peltola’s campaign, along with senior aides at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), tried to recruit Daniel J Sullivan Jr., a retired teacher living in a remote fishing village. The newspaper described the alleged recruitment as part of a broader effort to encourage potential “spoiler” candidates to enter the Senate race and reduce support for the incumbent Republican. The paper said it had reviewed text messages and interviewed 12 people who participated in, heard about, or were approached in connection with the alleged plan. The BBC has not independently verified the New York Times’ reporting.

Peltola’s campaign has rejected the allegations. A spokesperson for Alaskans for Mary said the campaign had no involvement with either Sullivan campaign and denied encouraging Daniel J Sullivan Jr. to run. The candidate has also denied any connection to Peltola’s campaign. The DSCC likewise said it was not involved with the non-incumbent Sullivan. These denials are central to the dispute, which remains an allegation under investigation rather than an established finding of wrongdoing.

The ballot is expected to list the candidates as Dan S Sullivan, identified as the incumbent Republican senator, and Daniel J Sullivan Jr. Their similar names have led Senator Dan Sullivan and his allies to argue that voters could be misled. On Wednesday night, the incumbent told Fox News that Peltola should “come clean” and characterized the matter as a major scandal. Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski accused the Democratic campaign of a “pattern of lies,” while President Donald Trump called for Peltola to be barred from the ballot.

Republican efforts to remove Daniel J Sullivan Jr. from the ballot have already been rejected by the Alaska Supreme Court. The court found that no state law had been broken by his decision to run. That ruling has shaped the legal debate because the candidate’s right to seek office and appear on the ballot is protected, even as officials consider whether any campaign-related conduct merits further scrutiny.

Election law specialists have questioned whether the reported recruitment effort, even if it occurred, would be unlawful. Justin Levitt, an election law expert at Loyola Law School and a former Justice Department official, said that persuading someone to run for office is not a crime simply because the person shares a name with an incumbent. Ruth Greenwood, an election expert at Harvard Law School, said the non-incumbent Sullivan had a constitutional right to run and to have his name listed on the ballot. Their comments address the general legal principle; they do not determine whether other conduct described in the report could raise separate legal issues.

The dispute has also prompted federal action. The Trump administration filed a lawsuit last week seeking to prevent certification of the election result if the Trump-backed incumbent loses. The lawsuit argues that having both Sullivans on the ballot could confuse voters. On Wednesday, the Justice Department amended its filing to include the New York Times report, citing substantial portions of the article as well as Dunleavy’s announcement that the state would investigate.

Some legal experts have expressed doubt about the federal lawsuit’s merits and its prospects, particularly because Alaska’s courts have already allowed Daniel J Sullivan Jr. to remain on the ballot. Rick Pildes, an election law expert at New York University, described the legal argument as a “frivolous theory” in comments to the BBC. He said the lawsuit did not identify a specific legal provision the government sought to enforce, instead relying on a broad preamble from a federal voting law. Alaska election officials asked the federal court to dismiss the case, arguing that the complaint had no legal basis. The Justice Department has said it will continue to act following the newspaper’s reporting.

Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the administration’s position on Fox News, saying, “They are cheating, let’s call it what it is.” Trump also referred to the report in a series of Truth Social posts, made allegations against Peltola, and argued that she should be removed from the ballot. He reiterated his support for the incumbent, writing: “Dan is a GREAT man, has ALWAYS delivered for Alaska.” These political statements reflect the intensity of the dispute, but do not themselves establish that any election law has been violated.

Alaska uses ranked-choice voting, which allows voters to rank candidates by preference. As a result, voters who are uncertain about the candidates’ identities could select both Sullivans. The possibility of confusion has become a political and legal concern, although the state Supreme Court’s earlier decision permitted the non-incumbent candidate to remain on the ballot. Whether the similar names affect voting behavior, and whether any campaign conduct crossed a legal line, are distinct questions.

The Senate contest is considered by analysts to be among the tightest races in the upcoming US midterm elections. Americans are scheduled to vote across the country on Tuesday, and the results will determine which party controls Congress. Because control of Congress will shape the final two years of Trump’s presidency, the Alaska dispute has implications beyond the state. Any delay in resolving the legal questions could also delay a full understanding of nationwide results.

Before Dunleavy announced the investigation, an Alaskans for Mary spokesperson said Peltola entered the race because Alaskans deserved a representative focused on lowering costs and putting Alaska first. The spokesperson added that political pressure would not deter her from that aim and repeated that the campaign had no involvement with either Sullivan campaign. Peltola had also paused campaigning earlier in the week to recover after she and her family sustained “minor injuries” in a car crash. As state and federal investigations proceed, the key issues remain the reliability of the reported evidence, the applicable election laws, and the protections afforded to candidates seeking a place on the ballot.

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