Senator Dan Sullivan’s campaign account on X was temporarily suspended days before Alaska’s closely contested Senate election, after the platform flagged the profile under its rules on inauthentic accounts. The profile @DanSullivan_AK was taken down on Friday before being restored by Saturday afternoon. X has not publicly explained the decision, and it remains unclear what prompted the suspension.
The incident came amid controversy surrounding another Alaska Senate candidate with the same name. Sullivan is seeking reelection against Democratic challenger Mary Peltola, while independent candidate Dan J. Sullivan is also on the ballot.
Newsweek contacted Sullivan's campaign and X via email on Sunday for comment. The Alaska Landmine first reported the suspension on Friday, sharing a message it said Sullivan’s campaign had received from X. The outlet posted on X: "Sen.
Dan Sullivan’s (the real one) campaign account on X has been suspended." The existence of the two Dans on the ballot has become a major political issue, with Republicans arguing that the additional candidacy could confuse voters and take support away from the incumbent. The controversy intensified after The New York Times reported on October 28 that people connected to Peltola's campaign, along with Democratic political operatives, had been involved in efforts to recruit candidates with names similar to Sullivan's. The report described efforts to find people named Dan Sullivan who might enter the race and potentially divert votes from the Republican senator.
Sullivan has denied being recruited by Democrats, while Peltola has denied knowledge of or involvement in the effort. Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy subsequently ordered an investigation into whether the alleged recruitment effort violated state law. The controversy has also prompted legal action, with the Justice Department filing a lawsuit seeking to prevent Alaska from certifying certain election results if the second Sullivan's candidacy affects the outcome.
The controversy has also raised questions about how candidates will respond to the election outcome. During an interview on CNN, Sen. Sullivan was asked by anchor Jake Tapper whether he would accept the results of the Senate race only if he won.
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