Sullivan Says Peltola Campaign Recruited Lookalike Candidate

Alaska Republican Senator Dan S. Sullivan accused Democratic challenger Mary Peltola of trying to muddle the election results. Sullivan made the claim on CNN's State of the Union show on November 1. He said the Peltola campaign treated voters with disdain. His criticism followed a New York Times report linking her team to a rival candidate.

The Times investigation relied on interviews and campaign finance records. It alleged that Peltola's staff helped recruit Dan J. Sullivan. This candidate is a retired schoolteacher with a name very similar to the incumbent senator. Sullivan, the Republican, suggested the move was a tactic to confuse voters about which candidate to support.

Peltola rejected the claim that her team orchestrated the recruitment. She told PBS that she honestly has no idea how the other candidate entered the race. She described the media attention on the issue as a distraction from real problems. She pointed to high prices resulting from the war in Iran as a key concern for Alaskans.

Governor Mike Dunleavy ordered a criminal investigation into the matter. The probe aims to determine if any laws were broken during the recruitment of the second Sullivan. CNBC reported that the governor's office is overseeing the inquiry. This step adds legal weight to a dispute already straining the campaign.

The Alaska Senate seat is a critical target for Democrats. The party needs to flip four seats to regain control of the chamber. Current polls show the race as a toss-up with Peltola holding a slight lead. Both candidates are continuing to campaign as voters prepare to cast ballots.