A top Alaska election official ruled Monday that a Senate candidate with the same name as Republican Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan is ineligible to be on the state’s primary ballot in August.
Division of Elections Director Carol Beecher informed Dan J. Sullivan that his declaration for candidacy “was not filed in order to declare an actual good-faith candidacy,” but rather to confuse voters into voting for the wrong Sullivan. The other Sullivan’s candidacy raised speculation that supporters of former Democratic Alaska Rep. Mary Peltola attempted to place him on the ballot to confuse voters and in turn help Peltola win the Senate race.
“On review of the complaints and other information in the Division’s possession, I conclude that your declaration of candidacy was not properly filed with the Division because it was not filed in order to declare an actual good-faith candidacy for the office of United States Senator, but was instead filed with a purpose to confuse or mislead and to thereby compromise the ballot’s fairness or neutrality,” Beecher wrote.
The other Sullivan can appeal this ruling.
Beecher issued a preliminary ruling Wednesday that the other Sullivan was ineligible, though she gave him a chance to make his case before she handed down a final decision.
“Based on a review of the evidence presented and in the Division’s possession, the Division has determined that the preponderance of evidence does not support your eligibility for the office of United States Senator,” Beecher wrote Wednesday.
Democratic strategist Amber Lee authored a press release announcing the candidacy of Dan J. Sullivan, campaign metadata reviewed by the Daily Caller News Foundation in early June showed. Lee supported Peltola in the past, telling The Hill in January that she believed there was a good chance Peltola could defeat Sullivan. She also expressed hope in March 2025 that Peltola would run for governor because she believed the Democrat would be best able to “protect” the state from President Donald Trump’s administration.
Peltola’s campaign told the DCNF on June 3 that the campaign had no involvement with Sullivan.
In a letter to Beecher, The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) argued that the other Sullivan must be removed from the ballot to protect election integrity laws.
Sullivan’s campaign spokesperson Nate Adams told the DCNF on June 3 that Peltola and other Democrats were resorting to “dirty, dishonest tactics” to deceive Alaska voters.
Despite running for the Senate as a Republican, the other Sullivan donated $650 to Democrats nationwide, including Peltola and left-wing failed Illinois House candidate Kat Abughazaleh, according to Federal Elections Commission (FEC) records. Peltola also visited the other Sullivan’s hometown, Petersburg, on May 28, days before he filed to launch his candidacy, according to the Anchorage Daily News.
With Alaska having a ranked-choice voting system, Democrats are eyeing Alaska as a potential win despite it being a deep red state. Peltola had a 68% chance of winning the Senate race as of Monday, according to Polymarket odds. An Alaska Survey Research poll from Friday found Peltola leading Sullivan 49% to 44%.
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