Alaska’s Republican Governor Mike Dunleavy has ordered a criminal investigation into Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola’s campaign following allegations that operatives connected to her effort recruited a candidate sharing an identical name with her Republican opponent, Senator Dan Sullivan.
Governor Demands Criminal Investigation
Dunleavy directed the Alaska Department of Public Safety to investigate whether the alleged scheme violated state election laws and warrants criminal charges or civil action. The governor’s order came after The New York Times reported that a Democratic operative working with Peltola’s campaign and national party organizations helped encourage Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., a retired teacher, to enter the race. Text messages and interviews supported the newspaper’s findings.
The governor emphasized the severity of the allegations in a social media statement. He wrote that Alaskans possess a fundamental right to vote for their intended candidate, and deliberately tricking voters into casting ballots for the wrong person undermines election integrity. The Alaska Division of Elections had already conducted a preliminary probe before Dunleavy escalated the matter.
washingtonsun.com/campaigns/alas…
Presidential Response and Political Fallout
President Trump weighed in on the controversy Wednesday, telling reporters that Peltola and the second Sullivan should face prosecution. In multiple Truth Social posts, the president called the situation election fraud and argued that Peltola should not be permitted to run. Trump claimed Democrats created fake candidates and cheated the electoral system.
Senator Dan Sullivan’s campaign spokesman, Nate Adams, said Alaskans deserve the truth. Adams accused Peltola and her campaign of spending months gaslighting voters while denying involvement in a scheme they were running all along. The incumbent senator has previously called Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. a sham candidate attempting to trick voters.
Campaign Denials and Alaska’s Ranked Choice System
Peltola’s campaign has strongly denied any involvement with either Sullivan campaign. At a campaign stop in Soldotna, she dismissed the report as a distraction, saying voters are concerned about bills and healthcare affordability, not ballot composition. A campaign spokesperson stated that Peltola entered the race to fight for Alaskans and lower costs.
The Democratic Senate Campaign Committee also denied involvement with Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. The organization countered by pointing to Republican history of recruiting candidates, citing a New York prison inmate who ran for Alaska’s House seat in 2024 and an Arizona man who ran in this year’s Senate primary. Alaska’s nonpartisan primary system allows the top four candidates to advance, with voters ranking their choices rather than selecting just one. The ballot identifies Senator Sullivan as the Republican incumbent, while Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. has no party affiliation listed.