The New York Times published a story on October 28 that alleged members of former congresswoman Mary Peltola’s campaign team had spent several months recruiting candidates to siphon votes from the incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan in Alaska. According to the Times, a Peltola staffer was tasked with locating as many Alaskans named “Dan Sullivan” as possible. The effort reportedly culminated in the nomination of Dan J. Sullivan, a retired teacher from a small fishing village, who announced a Senate bid in late summer 2025. Peltola’s campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee denied any involvement in encouraging Sullivan’s candidacy. In an interview with the Times, former chief of staff Elisa Rios admitted that while Peltola herself was not directly involved in the operation, she was “definitely aware” of it. Rios said the staff had “knowledge of the strategy” but did not personally orchestrate the recruitment. The Times’ investigation relied on interviews, text‑message exchanges, and documents prepared for a potential lawsuit against the Peltola campaign. It also reported that another candidate, Gerald Heikes, was approached to run for the Senate seat, though Heikes’ campaign has not confirmed any such outreach. In response to the allegations, former President Donald Trump posted on his Truth Social account that Peltola should be barred from the race because of “election fraud” and called for legal and political consequences. Trump wrote, “Democrats committed fraud! They found a man named Dan Sullivan, put him on the ballot, and then lied to the court. Peltola should not be allowed to run, just like the FAKE Dan Sullivan!” The U.S. Department of Justice had earlier filed a motion with the court to prevent the certification of the Alaska Senate election if the Republican incumbent, Dan Sullivan, lost. The DOJ argued that the presence of an independent candidate named Dan J. Sullivan was a deliberate attempt to mislead voters. The motion was part of a broader effort to challenge the election outcome. In June, the Alaska Supreme Court allowed the second Dan Sullivan to remain on the ballot. Alaska is traditionally a Republican‑leaning state, but recent polls suggest that Peltola has a significant chance of winning the November 3 midterm election. The Senate race is one of several contests that could determine whether the Republican Party retains its majority in the U.S. Senate, which currently holds 33 seats.
Article source: Rzeczpospolita | Image credit: Rzeczpospolita