Alaskas top election official has blocked a Senate hopeful who shares a name with Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan from appearing on the states August primary ballot, ruling that the bid was not a legitimate campaign but an effort to mislead voters.
According to the Daily Caller, Division of Elections Director Carol Beecher notified Dan J. Sullivan in a formal letter that his declaration of candidacy was not filed in order to declare an actual good-faith candidacy, but instead to sow confusion at the ballot box. The unusual candidacy immediately fueled speculation that allies of former Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola were attempting to exploit Alaskas election system by inserting a second Dan Sullivan into the race to siphon votes from the incumbent Republican and tilt the contest in Peltolas favor.
On review of the complaints and other information in the Divisions possession, I conclude that your declaration of candidacy was not properly filed with the Division because it was not filed in order to declare an actual good-faith candidacy for the office of United States Senator, but was instead filed with a purpose to confuse or mislead and to thereby compromise the ballots fairness or neutrality, Beecher wrote. The ruling underscores growing conservative concerns that Democrats are increasingly willing to manipulate election rules and voter perceptions rather than win on policy arguments and performance.
Beecher had already issued a preliminary decision last Wednesday indicating that the second Sullivan was likely ineligible, but she allowed him an opportunity to respond before finalizing her judgment. Based on a review of the evidence presented and in the Divisions possession, the Division has determined that the preponderance of evidence does not support your eligibility for the office of United States Senator, she wrote in that earlier notice.
The second Sullivan, who filed as a Republican, still has the option to appeal the decision through the states legal channels. For now, however, Beechers determination removes what many conservatives viewed as a calculated attempt to weaponize voter confusion in a high-stakes Senate race.
Campaign records and digital metadata reviewed in early June showed that Democratic strategist Amber Lee authored a press release announcing the candidacy of Dan J. Sullivan. Lee has been an open supporter of Peltola, telling The Hill in January that she believed there was a strong chance Peltola could defeat Sen. Sullivan and later expressing hope in March 2025 that Peltola would run for governor because she believed the Democrat would be best able to protect the state from President Donald Trumps administration.
Peltolas campaign, however, told the Daily Caller News Foundation (DCNF) on June 3 that it had no involvement with Dan J. Sullivans candidacy. That denial has done little to quiet suspicions on the right that Democrat-aligned operatives were at least politically aligned with, if not directly coordinating, the effort to place a second Sullivan on the ballot.
In a letter to Beecher, the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) argued that the second Sullivan had to be removed from the ballot to safeguard Alaskas election integrity laws. Republican leaders framed the case as part of a broader fight to ensure that elections are decided by informed voters, not by tricks and ballot games engineered by partisan strategists.
Sullivan campaign spokesperson Nate Adams told the DCNF on June 3 that Peltola and other Democrats were resorting to dirty, dishonest tactics to deceive Alaska voters. His comments reflected a wider conservative frustration that, rather than presenting a clear agenda to voters, Democrats are increasingly leaning on procedural maneuvers and legal gray areas to gain an edge.
Despite running as a Republican, the second Sullivan donated $650 to Democrats nationwide, including Peltola and left-wing failed Illinois House candidate Kat Abughazaleh, according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) records. Peltola also visited his hometown of Petersburg on May 28, just days before he filed his candidacy, according to the Anchorage Daily News, a timing that further fueled questions about the true nature of his campaign.
With Alaskas ranked-choice voting system already tilting the playing field away from traditional Republican advantages, Democrats see the state as a potential pickup despite its conservative leanings. Polymarket odds on Monday gave Peltola a 68% chance of winning the Senate race, and an Alaska Survey Research poll released Friday showed her leading Sullivan 49% to 44%, numbers that make Beechers decision to shut down a seemingly manufactured spoiler candidacy all the more critical for voters who want a fair contest rather than a manipulated one.
Login