The New York Times reported that Democrat Mary Peltola’s campaign collaborated with the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) to recruit a second candidate named Dan Sullivan for Alaska’s U.S. Senate race, according to interviews with former campaign staff and supporting documents.
Republicans have criticized the presence of two Dan Sullivans on the ballot as a deliberate strategy to confuse voters and undermine the incumbent senator’s re-election prospects. The other Dan Sullivan is a retiree with minimal political experience from southeastern Alaska. Peltola’s campaign denied orchestrating the recruitment, though the Times reported that her officials and the DSCC actively sought individuals with that name to encourage candidacy. The outlet’s account relies on testimony from Elisa Rios, whom Peltola dismissed from her campaign role in August, along with other sources, documents, and text messages related to the effort.
Election authorities in Alaska attempted to remove the second Dan Sullivan from the ballot before the August primary, but the state supreme court permitted his participation. On the general election ballot, the incumbent is listed as “Sullivan, Dan S. (Registered Republican) Incumbent” while the challenger appears as “Sullivan, Daniel J. Jr.” Both candidates advanced to the general election, along with Peltola and another contender, after the non-partisan primary.
Sullivan’s campaign spokesperson characterized the effort as a deceptive scheme aimed at Alaska voters. Donald Trump amplified these criticisms on Truth Social, using the term “election fraud,” and previously instructed the justice department to file a lawsuit challenging election certification if Sullivan loses. Trump also held an Alaska rally where he urged supporters to vote for the “real” Dan Sullivan.
The DSCC denied involvement, asserting that the Republican party has similarly recruited spoiler candidates in other races. According to the Times, Democrats began exploring ballot-spoiler strategies in summer 2025, eventually engaging a political operative named Jerid Kurtz who specializes in such activities, which are typically legal. Peltola’s campaign statement emphasized its focus on reducing costs and addressing systemic issues in Washington, while reasserting no connection to either Sullivan candidate.
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