Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, has sharply criticized his Democratic opponent, Mary Peltola, over an alleged scheme to place another individual named Dan Sullivan on the ballot for the Alaska US Senate race. Sullivan described the alleged operation as a "scandal of the highest order," asserting that it was a year-long, secret effort by Peltola's campaign and senior officials at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) to deceive Alaskan voters.
According to a report from The New York Times, the plan aimed to create confusion among voters by having two candidates named Dan Sullivan on the ballot, potentially drawing votes away from the incumbent Republican senator. Sullivan stated in an interview with Fox News that "Democrats will do anything to gain power" and accused Peltola of having "total contempt" for the people of Alaska.
"She's run a campaign about supposed corruption. She's the corrupt one working with DC insiders to trick Alaskans," Sullivan said. He further contended that Peltola's campaign resorted to this tactic because it had "nothing to run on" and that her ideology is "far-left."
The Justice Department is reportedly seeking to delay the certification of Alaska's US Senate election results due to the presence of two candidates with the same surname. The incumbent's name on the ballot is "Sullivan, Dan S.," while the other candidate is "Sullivan, Daniel J. Jr.," a retired schoolteacher.
Peltola's campaign has denied involvement in any scheme, with a spokesperson previously telling Fox News that the "Alaskans for Mary campaign has no involvement with either Sullivan campaign." Peltola herself has dismissed reports of the alleged scheme as a "distraction" and suggested The New York Times' report was primarily aimed at generating sales for the newspaper.
Sullivan emphasized the national implications of the alleged scheme, noting that the outcome of the Alaska Senate race could determine control of the United States Senate. "This seat in Alaska could determine who controls the United States Senate. This isn’t just about Alaska — this is about America," he told Fox News host Sean Hannity.
Federal prosecutors are said to be conducting an "aggressive criminal investigation" into how the second Sullivan candidate qualified for the ballot. Sullivan stated his intention to inform all Alaskans about the alleged scheme, vowing to campaign "24/7" and urge voters to "not let your vote be stolen."