Democratic strategist Adrienne Elrod suggested that the reported Democratic scheme to influence Alaska's Senate race by recruiting a "Decoy Dan" is a tactic that "happens all the time" in politics. Elrod drew a parallel between the Alaska situation and the Republican support for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s 2024 presidential bid, arguing that donors and party operatives sometimes back third-party candidates in hopes they will draw votes away from an opponent.
"Let’s not forget that… RFK Jr., when he ran against Joe Biden, Republicans propped him up, a lot of Trump donors were giving him money because they thought he would dig into some of Biden’s supporters," Elrod stated during a panel discussion on MS NOW. She noted that while the tactic sometimes backfires, it is a recurring strategy.
The controversy stems from a New York Times report alleging that Democratic operatives recruited a man named Dan Sullivan to run as a spoiler candidate against incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska. The report suggests this move was intended to potentially aid the Democratic candidate, former Rep. Mary Peltola.
According to the Times report, a staffer for Peltola received instructions in the summer of 2025 to find individuals named Dan Sullivan in Alaska. The campaign, along with allies, allegedly sought to persuade another Dan Sullivan to enter the Senate race, aiming to confuse voters and diminish the incumbent senator's support on Alaska's ranked-choice ballot.
Peltola's former campaign manager, Elisa Rios, stated that Peltola was aware of the scheme, though not directly involved. The Peltola campaign has previously denied any involvement in recruiting a spoiler candidate.
MS NOW anchor Peter Alexander pointed out that the alleged actions were reportedly not illegal and that the incumbent senator's status as "incumbent" on the ballot could mitigate voter confusion. However, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the state of Alaska, seeking to block the certification of election results if the incumbent senator loses and votes cast for the other Sullivan could have altered the outcome.
Republicans have expressed skepticism regarding the candidacy of Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., a retired teacher who is one of four candidates on Alaska's Senate ballot. The report indicates that a broader group worked to encourage other potential spoiler candidates to join the race, with the ultimate goal of helping the Democratic candidate win.
Elrod concluded by stating that voters know who the incumbent is and who they are voting for, implying that the strategy's effectiveness in causing confusion might be overstated. She also mentioned that she had not read the New York Times report herself.