Trump Directed DOJ to Sue Alaska Over Senate Election Certification

President Donald Trump has confirmed he personally ordered the Justice Department to initiate legal action to block the certification of Alaska's Senate election results under specific circumstances, should Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan lose.

"I'm the one that said do it," Trump stated Friday to reporters. The lawsuit, filed by the administration late Thursday, argues that the presence of a second candidate named Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. on the ballot could confuse voters and potentially impact the outcome of a closely contested race.

Trump alleges that the rival candidate is a Democratic-backed effort to siphon votes away from Senator Sullivan, who is seeking re-election against Democratic challenger Mary Peltola. However, Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., a retired teacher from Petersburg, Alaska, has denied these accusations, stating he is not attempting to mislead voters or collude with Democrats.

The Justice Department's filing contends that the second candidate's "sole purpose" is to benefit Peltola by reducing votes for Senator Sullivan. The department is asking a judge to prevent certification of the election results if Senator Sullivan loses by a margin that could have been overcome by votes cast for his namesake, and to investigate whether voter confusion affected the outcome.

This legal intervention marks an unusual step by the federal government into a state-administered election prior to voting. Alaska's state courts have previously ruled that the second Sullivan can remain on the ballot, a decision later upheld by the Alaska Supreme Court. The incumbent Senator will be identified on the ballot as the "Republican" and "sitting senator."

According to a Data for Progress poll conducted between October 8 and 16, Peltola holds a narrow lead over Senator Sullivan, 51 percent to 49 percent. The lawsuit does not automatically halt the election or invalidate ballots; any relief sought would require a court order.

The Democratic campaign has criticized the Justice Department's action as a political maneuver, asserting that Alaskans' right to have their votes counted will be defended. Critics have raised concerns that the Trump administration may seek to challenge election results in races where Republican candidates do not prevail.

Earlier in the week, Trump had publicly denounced the second Sullivan's candidacy on social media, labeling it a "SCAM" and threatening legal action.