Governor Orders Probe Into Confusing Alaska Senate Ballot

Alaska voters will face a confusing U.S. Senate race this Tuesday, with two different men named Dan Sullivan appearing on the same ballot. Republican leaders say the situation is a deliberate attempt to confuse electors, while the Democratic campaign insists it had no hand in the overlap.

The ballot lists Daniel J. Sullivan without any additional descriptors. In contrast, incumbent Republican Sen. Dan S. Sullivan is clearly labeled as the incumbent and a Republican. Alaska’s highest state court previously ruled that both candidates must remain on the ballot.

The controversy erupted after The New York Times reported on Wednesday that Peltola campaign staffers attempted to recruit a candidate sharing the name of the sitting senator. Although the maneuver is not illegal, it has drawn sharp criticism from the top of the Republican party.

President Donald Trump called the situation a fraud on Thursday as he departed for South Carolina. He stated that the plan was executed in coordination with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and other Democrats. "So nobody’s going to know what to do. That’s a fraud," Trump said. "And it shouldn’t be allowed to happen."

Vice President JD Vance echoed the president’s sentiment on the same day. Vance described the campaign’s actions as disgraceful and suggested that Alaskan voters should punish Peltola for the moral failing, regardless of whether the act was criminal.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy, a Republican, has ordered an investigation into alleged election manipulation in response to the reports. In a separate move, Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., chair of the House Oversight Committee, announced an inquiry into whether the Peltola campaign intentionally sought to confuse voters. Comer sent a letter requesting in-person testimony from key campaign staffers next week.

Peltola’s campaign issued a statement saying it had no involvement with either Sullivan campaign. The election uses ranked choice voting, meaning if no candidate secures a majority of votes on Tuesday, officials will tally the ranked choices to determine a winner.