Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy has ordered a state investigation and the House Oversight Committee has launched a congressional probe into allegations that Peltola’s campaign and Democratic operatives helped recruit a spoiler candidate to confuse voters, as national Democrats offer mixed responses and Peltola calls the coverage a distraction.
The dual investigations stem from a New York Times report that Peltola’s aides worked with Democratic operatives to recruit candidates who could siphon votes from incumbent Republican Senator Dan Sullivan, including a retired schoolteacher named Dan J. Sullivan who appears on the ballot. A state election official said she found Dan J. Sullivan’s candidacy was “filed with a purpose to confuse or mislead and to thereby compromise the ballot’s fairness or neutrality.” The Alaska Supreme Court later ruled that state election officials lacked authority to disqualify him based on concerns about his motives; the court did not determine whether his candidacy was intended to mislead voters.
Governor Dunleavy said the state probe would examine whether laws were broken, posting that “the evidence will determine what happens next.” House Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-KY) requested transcribed interviews with Peltola’s former campaign manager Elisa Rios and Democratic operative Jerid Kurtz, both reported to have been involved in the recruitment effort.
Peltola told reporters the reporting was “another distraction” and “stuff to sell newspapers.” Her campaign stated it “has no involvement with either Sullivan campaign,” a position echoed by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, which accused Republicans of recruiting their own spoiler candidates in other races.
National Democrats have offered uneven support. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) said he trusts Peltola’s account that she had nothing to do with it and suggested President Donald Trump is looking for a pretext to challenge a Democratic win. Former Alaska Lieutenant Governor Fran Ulmer said she remained committed to Peltola while criticizing the media for failing to cover what she called similar Republican tactics. Former Governor Tony Knowles and other prominent Alaska Democrats who endorsed Peltola did not respond to requests for comment.
President Trump called for Peltola’s criminal prosecution, writing that the scheme was meant to “defraud, confuse, and obfuscate the Election.” Senate Majority Leader John Thune called it “totally dirty pool.” Senator Lisa Murkowski cited a “pattern of lies and coverups and a culture of deception.” Dan Sullivan’s campaign accused Peltola of being caught “red-handed” and still refusing to come clean.
Jessica Levinson of Loyola Law School said that, as long as Daniel J. Sullivan did not conceal financial support, his campaign likely did not break any laws. She said political parties are allowed to mislead the public and that policing such behaviour could open the door to government investigating why candidates run and why voters support them. Rex Van Middlesworth, an executive board member of the nonpartisan group Keep Our Republic, called the Justice Department’s pre-emptive lawsuit to block certification if the incumbent loses by a margin potentially attributable to voter confusion “frivolous even by current DOJ standards.”
Alaska’s ranked-choice voting system could limit the impact of the duplicate names. Dan J. Sullivan, who received 2.5 percent of the vote in the primary, could be eliminated; ballots listing the incumbent as the next remaining choice would then transfer to him. The race is among the most competitive in the country and could determine control of the Senate.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The Alaska Senate race is one of the most competitive contests in the country and could determine which party controls the Senate.
- The allegations of a vote-siphoning scheme and the resulting investigations raise fundamental questions about the integrity and regulation of campaign tactics.
- The Justice Department’s lawsuit and the legal responses risk setting precedents for federal intervention in state-run elections based on voter confusion claims.
Background
Alaska’s Senate race features Democratic nominee Mary Peltola, Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan, and an unaffiliated candidate, Dan J. Sullivan, who shares the Republican’s name. The New York Times reported in late October that Peltola’s campaign aided the recruitment of the second Sullivan. The Alaska Supreme Court had previously ruled election officials could not disqualify him on the grounds of intent to confuse. Republicans hold a 53-47 Senate majority, and Democrats need a net gain of four seats to flip the chamber.
Key Perspectives
Peltola campaign and DSCC: Denied involvement in recruiting Dan J. Sullivan, with Peltola calling the news reports a “distraction” designed to divert attention from issues like affordability.
Dan Sullivan campaign and allies: Accused Peltola and Democratic operatives of a coordinated scheme to deliberately confuse voters, saying Peltola is not being honest about her involvement.
President Donald Trump: Called for Peltola’s criminal prosecution, accusing her campaign of election fraud to “defraud, confuse, and obfuscate the Election.”
Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT): Expressed trust in Peltola’s denial and suggested Trump is using the allegations as a pretext to challenge a potential Democratic victory.
Legal experts: Argued the scheme likely did not break any laws and that the Justice Department’s lawsuit lacks a clear legal basis, with one expert calling it “frivolous.”
What to Watch
- The findings of the state investigation ordered by Governor Dunleavy and the House Oversight Committee probe.
- Whether the federal lawsuit filed by the Justice Department to pre-emptively block certification of the election proceeds or is dismissed.
- The ranked-choice vote count and whether the presence of two candidates named Sullivan measurably affects the results.
Checked
8 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 7 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedHouse Oversight opened a fraud investigation into the Alaska Senate race.Washington Examiner: “House Oversight launches fraud investigation into Alaska Senate race.”
- SupportedThe investigation concerns allegations that Mary Peltola's campaign plotted to confuse voters.Washington Examiner: “The House Oversight Committee launched an investigation into the allegations that Alaska Senate Democratic nominee Mary Peltola’s campaign plotted to confuse the voters”
- SupportedChairman James Comer requested transcribed interviews with Elisa Rios and Jerid Kurtz.Washington Examiner: “Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-KY) requested transcribed interviews with Peltola’s former campaign manager Elisa Rios and Democratic operative Jerid Kurtz”
- SupportedRios is Peltola's former campaign manager, and Kurtz is a Democratic operative.Washington Examiner: “Peltola’s former campaign manager Elisa Rios and Democratic operative Jerid Kurtz”
- SupportedRios and Kurtz have reportedly been involved in recruiting another Dan J. Sullivan.Washington Examiner: “both of whom have been reported to be involved in the recruitment of the other Dan J. Sullivan”
- SupportedThe other Dan J. Sullivan shares a name with incumbent Sen. Dan S. Sullivan (R-AK).Washington Examiner: “the other Dan J. Sullivan, who shares the same name as incumbent Sen. Dan S. Sullivan (R-AK).”
- Not in the sourcesPeltola is running against incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan.Washington Examiner: “Alaska Senate Democratic nominee Mary Peltola’s campaign plotted to confuse the voters in one of the tightest Senate races this cycle.”
- SupportedThe Washington Examiner described the race as one of the tightest Senate races this cycle.Washington Examiner: “in one of the tightest Senate races this cycle.”