A critical open top-four primary in Alaska on Tuesday could significantly influence control of the U.S. Senate next year, with an unusual ballot featuring two Republican candidates named Dan Sullivan vying for the same seat.
Incumbent Republican Sen. Dan S. Sullivan, who has received an endorsement from former President Donald Trump, is competing against former Democratic congresswoman Mary Peltola. The race also includes a third candidate, Dan J. Sullivan, a retired teacher who describes himself as a pragmatic Republican. Sen. Sullivan has characterized his namesake as a "sham" candidate allegedly placed by Democrats to confuse voters, a claim Trump echoed, calling the campaign Democratic "trickery."
The presence of Dan J. Sullivan on the ballot was contested. Alaska’s Division of Elections, led by Republican Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom, initially ruled that challenger Sullivan should be removed for not acting in good faith and intending to mislead voters. However, Dan J. Sullivan sued, and the Alaska Supreme Court ultimately ruled in late June that he must remain on the ballot.
Under Alaska’s nonpartisan top-four primary system, all candidates, regardless of party affiliation, are listed together. Voters select one candidate, and the four with the most votes advance to the general election. This system allows for the possibility that both Dan Sullivans and Mary Peltola could appear on the November ballot.
Democrats are actively supporting Peltola, who previously won a statewide race when she was elected to represent Alaska’s at-large congressional district in 2022. She was the first indigenous woman and the first woman to hold Alaska's seat in the House of Representatives. Peltola is emphasizing her more moderate policy positions in her campaign.
While Alaska has historically voted Republican, with the state backing Trump in his presidential runs, Democrats are hoping that economic factors like rising prices and general dissatisfaction with the administration could sway moderate voters. This dynamic is playing out in other races as well, including the gubernatorial contest where current GOP Gov. Mike Dunleavy is term-limited.
Alaska's gubernatorial race features an open field with prominent political names. GOP Rep. Nick Begich III is running for reelection in the state's sole congressional district, while his uncle, former state Senate Minority Leader Tom Begich, is campaigning as a Democrat for governor. Former Gov. Bill Walker is also seeking the governorship as an independent candidate. Alaska has not had a Democratic governor since 2002.