By Islam El-Sakka
Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola's campaign is facing scrutiny after a New York Times report alleged it played a role in recruiting Dan J. Sullivan, a Republican who shares a nearly identical name with incumbent GOP Sen. Dan Sullivan, to run in Alaska's four-way Senate race. The Times report, citing 12 sources, text messages, and documents, said members of Peltola's campaign, her lawyers, and senior aides at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee contributed to pushing Dan J. Sullivan onto the ballot as part of an effort internally referred to as the "ballot composition project."
Allegations of Voter Confusion Strategy
The reported strategy aimed to siphon votes from the incumbent senator by creating voter confusion with two candidates named Dan Sullivan on the ballot. Alaska courts previously evaluated the dispute over Dan J. Sullivan's candidacy and found nothing illegal about his bid, even if it was not entirely in "good faith" or an attempt to "confuse and mislead," as Republicans contend. Ballot-stacking tactics are common in politics and widely considered legal, the Times noted.
Campaign and Party Denials
Alaskans for Mary, Peltola's campaign committee, stated through a spokesperson that it "has no involvement with either Sullivan campaign." The DSCC also denied involvement, with a spokesperson writing that it was "not involved with Dan J. Sullivan" and pointing to a 2024 instance when the state Republican Party supported a Democratic House candidate and federal inmate to challenge Peltola's reelection bid.
Trump Response and Legal Actions
President Donald Trump responded to the report by saying Peltola should "suffer the Legal and Political consequences" and that both she and Dan J. Sullivan should be removed from the ballot, calling it "election fraud." The Trump administration preemptively filed a lawsuit last week to block certification of the Alaska Senate race if Sen. Sullivan narrowly loses, citing voter confusion. The Department of Justice has an active criminal investigation into the circumstances surrounding Dan J. Sullivan's candidacy dating back several months.
Former Staffer's Account and Retraction
Former Peltola staffer Elisa Rios told the Times about the reported recruitment effort, saying Peltola wasn't directly involved but was "definitely aware." However, Rios later requested a retraction of her statements without disclosing a reason. She was reportedly fired from the campaign days before the Alaska primary election. The Peltola campaign at the time described "staffing updates" but did not comment on Rios specifically.
Incumbent Senator's Reaction
Nate Adams, campaign spokesperson for incumbent Sen. Sullivan, said "Alaskans deserve the truth" and accused Peltola and her campaign of spending "months gaslighting Alaskans" to "deceive" voters. ABC News has reached out to Dan J. Sullivan's campaign and the Alaska Department of Elections for comment on the Times report.
