Republican Senator Dan S. Sullivan, a Trump ally, stated his commitment to accepting the outcome of Alaska’s upcoming Senate race during a CNN interview on Sunday. His declaration came two days before the November 3 midterm election, which will determine which party controls Congress.
The senator’s pledge followed a Department of Justice lawsuit filed to decertify Alaska’s election results in the event of a Republican loss. The legal action was prompted by a New York Times report alleging that members of Democratic opponent Mary Peltola’s campaign had recruited a retired teacher named Dan J Sullivan Jr to run as a spoiler candidate, potentially drawing votes away from the incumbent senator. Sullivan criticized his opponent and Senate leadership for what he characterized as electoral misconduct, stating that the scheme had been “exposed.”
On Sunday, US District Court Judge Sharon Gleason dismissed the DOJ lawsuit, determining it was “infeasible” given that many voters had already cast ballots and ballots had been commingled in ways that prevented voter identification. The judge noted that the federal government had provided no workable mechanism for segregating ballots or conducting an investigation while preserving voter secrecy. The Department of Justice announced plans to appeal the ruling.
Peltola denied involvement in recruiting the other Sullivan candidate, whose ballot listing as Daniel J Sullivan Jr distinguishes him from the senator, listed as Dan S Sullivan. She characterized the matter as a distraction from substantive issues affecting Alaska. During a Friday interview, when asked if campaign staff could have been involved, Peltola stated she had no knowledge of such activities.
The Alaska Senate race represents one of seven competitive contests expected to determine Republican control of the Senate. Both candidates conducted intensive campaigning across the state in the final pre-election period.
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