Alaska’s Senate race has been roiled by a new investigation from The New York Times reporting that Democratic operatives were allegedly involved in recruiting a candidate who shares the name of GOP Senator Dan Sullivan, as Republicans allege an effort to sow confusion at the ballot box in the highly competitive contest. The race has become one of the most closely watched elections in the 2026 midterms, and it’s one of a handful of toss-ups that could determine the balance of power in the Senate. Sullivan is facing a challenge from former Representative Mary Peltola, a Democrat.
But two other names, one of which has drawn scrutiny from the Justice Department, are also on the ballot due to Alaska’s unique electoral system. Alaska uses a ranked-choice jungle electoral system, where all candidates appear on a single ballot in the primary, and the four with the most support advance to the general election. In this case, Peltola and Sullivan will be joined by two other Republicans on the ballot—Gerald Heikes and Daniel J.
If no candidates receive an outright majority, the candidate with the least number of votes would be eliminated, and their voters would be distributed to their second choice. That process would repeat itself if, again, no candidate breaks 50 percent. Republicans have sought to have Daniel J.
Sullivan removed from the ballot, alleging that his candidacy is meant to confuse voters and boost Peltola’s chances. A new report from the Times found that Democratic operatives were allegedly involved in recruiting Daniel J. The report comes as the Department of Justice (DOJ) has sued Alaska over the candidacy of Daniel J.
The Times—citing interviews, text messages and documents prepared for a potential lawsuit—reported that Peltola’s team allegedly worked with people trying to recruit Daniel J. Sullivan and other potential spoilers. The effort allegedly involved Peltola’s campaign lawyers and aides at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, both of which have denied any involvement.
The alleged effort began in 2025, when Democratic aides were asked to compile a list of Dan Sullivans who live in Alaska, which included the eventual Republican challenger, according to the Times. Sullivan, who is not a fan of President Donald Trump, had indicated he would be interested in running to help Peltola, and eventually filed paperwork in May 2026. His candidacy quickly drew criticism from Republicans, who led an unsuccessful effort to remove him from the ballot.
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