By Karim Hammam
Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola denied Thursday that she knew about an effort to recruit a candidate with a name nearly identical to Republican incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan for the Alaska ballot.
Peltola's Denial
Speaking at a rally in Juneau, Peltola said she knew nothing about any other candidates besides herself and the incumbent. She added she is not interested in tricking voters and believes she can beat Sullivan.
Times Report and Allegations
The denial follows a New York Times report Wednesday alleging that Peltola's campaign and senior aides at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee played a role in recruiting Dan J. Sullivan, a Republican with a similar name, to sow confusion.
Peltola called the report a distraction and a diversion. Her campaign previously stated it had no involvement with either Sullivan campaign.
A former Peltola staffer, Elisa Rios, told the Times that Peltola was not directly involved but was definitely aware of the recruitment effort.
Legal and Political Fallout
Alaska courts have found nothing illegal about Dan J. Sullivan's candidacy, even if it was not entirely in good faith. The ballot distinguishes the two: Sen. Sullivan appears as Dan S. Sullivan, Republican incumbent; the other as Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. with no party affiliation.
President Donald Trump claimed Alaskans would need a "190 IQ" to understand the ballot, despite clear distinctions. The Justice Department has issued new subpoenas in a criminal probe of the alleged recruitment effort, and the Trump administration filed a civil lawsuit seeking an injunction against certifying results if Sen. Sullivan narrowly loses.
