Conservative commentator Joe Hoft alleged Monday that Alaska Values PAC, a new political action committee, sent mailers to Alaska voters promoting Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola and independent candidate Dan J. Sullivan, whose name closely matches that of the Republican incumbent, Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK). The mailer, a photo of which Hoft posted online, omits the incumbent; Hoft alleged the mailers were sent to confuse voters.
The New York Times linked the PAC to what it described as an explicit Democratic plan to promote a candidate with a name similar to the incumbent to split the vote. CNN reported that the PAC is also promoting Republican candidate Gerald Heikes as a conservative alternative. The Alaska Republican Party has called Dan J. Sullivan a “Sham Candidate” and filed complaints to have him removed from the ballot, but the Alaska Supreme Court ruled he could remain in June.
The mailer states that Dan J. Sullivan “will end the out-of-control spending, reduce taxes, and put money back in Alaskans’ pocketbooks” and that Peltola “is running for Senate to lower costs for Alaskans.” The PAC did not respond to requests for comment.
Federal filings showed that Jim Lottsfeldt, a Peltola ally, requested radio advertising time, though Lottsfeldt denied any connection to the PAC or involvement in a deceitful campaign. The PAC was registered by political consultant Thomas Datwyler, a figure linked to other PACs that have attacked Senator Sullivan.
The federal government sued to have the election results nullified if Dan J. Sullivan wins; a judge dismissed the lawsuit on Sunday. President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social about the independent Sullivan and his supporters, calling them “CRIMINALS who totally abuse the Laws of our Land.”
Recent polls show Peltola tied with or ahead of Senator Sullivan by at least two points, according to RealClearPolitics. The race is one of a handful that Democrats hope to flip to win control of the Senate in Tuesday’s midterm elections.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The use of a candidate with a name virtually identical to the incumbent raises questions about voter confusion and election integrity in Alaska's ranked-choice system.
- The outcome of this Senate race could determine control of the US Senate, making every tactic and vote significant.
- The legal and political responses set a potential precedent for other states with ranked-choice voting or competitive Senate races.
Background
Alaska uses a ranked-choice voting system, which allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference. The Senate race between incumbent Republican Dan Sullivan and Democrat Mary Peltola is seen as a key battleground that could determine control of the US Senate. The inclusion of independent candidate Dan J. Sullivan and Republican Gerald Heikes on the ballot has been a source of controversy, with the Alaska GOP alleging a deliberate effort to split the vote.
Key Perspectives
Joe Hoft (conservative commentator): alleged the mailer is intended to confuse voters by promoting a candidate with the same name as the incumbent.
Alaska Republican Party: called Dan J. Sullivan a “Sham Candidate” and sought to have him disqualified.
Jim Lottsfeldt (Peltola ally): denied any connection to Alaska Values PAC or involvement in a deceitful campaign.
President Donald Trump: described the independent Sullivan and his supporters as “CRIMINALS” abusing the law.
What to Watch
- The election result on Tuesday and whether Dan J. Sullivan’s presence on the ballot affects the outcome.
- Potential post-election legal challenges if the race is close.
- The impact on the national balance of power in the Senate.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedThe headline says a PAC was accused of sending a mailer promoting a spoiler candidate.Washington Examiner: “Conservative commentator Joe Hoft alleged Monday that a new PAC linked to a Democrat-backed spoiler campaign in Alaska against GOP Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) sent mailers to confuse voters.”
- SupportedThe headline describes the Alaska Senate race as tight.Washington Examiner: “Multiple recent polls put Peltola at a tie or at least 2 points ahead of Sen. Sullivan, according to RealClearPolitics.”
- SupportedA photo Hoft posted online showed a mailer promoting Mary Peltola and independent Dan J. Sullivan, whose name is nearly identical to the incumbent’s.Washington Examiner: “A photo Hoft posted online showed a mailer that promoted Democratic Sullivan opponent Mary Peltola and independent candidate Dan J. Sullivan, whose nearly identical name has become the center of legal disputes ahead of Tuesday’s election.”
- SupportedHoft alleged Monday that Alaska Values PAC sent mailers to confuse voters.Washington Examiner: “Conservative commentator Joe Hoft alleged Monday that a new PAC linked to a Democrat-backed spoiler campaign in Alaska against GOP Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) sent mailers to confuse voters.”
- SupportedThe New York Times linked the PAC to an explicit Democratic plan to promote an alternative Dan Sullivan to pull votes from the incumbent.Washington Examiner: “The New York Times linked Alaska Values to the Peltola campaign’s effort to recruit and promote Dan J. Sullivan to pull votes away from the incumbent Sullivan, her opponent in the Senate race.”
- SupportedCNN reported that the PAC was promoting Republican Gerald Heikes as a conservative alternative to Senator Sullivan.Washington Examiner: “The PAC has also been promoting Republican Senate candidate Gerald Heikes — also named on the mailer in Hoft’s photo — as a “Constitutional Christian Conservative” alternative to Sen. Sullivan, CNN reported.”
- SupportedThe mailer says Dan J. Sullivan “will end the out-of-control spending, reduce taxes, and put money back in Alaskans’ pocketbooks.”Washington Examiner: ““[Dan J. Sullivan] will end the out-of-control spending, reduce taxes, and put money back in Alaskans’ pocketbooks,” the mailer in the photo says, leaving out the incumbent Sullivan.”
- SupportedThe mailer says Peltola “is running for Senate to lower costs for Alaskans.”Washington Examiner: “The flyer also says Peltola “is running for Senate to lower costs for Alaskans.””
- SupportedThe Alaska Republican Party called Dan J. Sullivan a “Sham Candidate.”Washington Examiner: “The Alaska GOP has called Dan J. Sullivan a “Sham Candidate””
- SupportedThe Alaska Supreme Court ruled in June that Dan J. Sullivan could remain on the ballot.Washington Examiner: “Alaska’s Supreme Court ruled in June that he could remain on the ranked choice ballot.”
- Partly supportedThe PAC did not respond to requests for comment.Washington Examiner: “Alaska Values PAC and the Alaska GOP did not respond to the Washington Examiner’s requests for comment.”
- SupportedTrump called Dan J. Sullivan and his supporters “CRIMINALS who totally abuse the Laws of our Land.”Washington Examiner: ““These are CRIMINALS who totally abuse the Laws of our Land, and are destructive to our Country at levels never thought possible before,” President Donald Trump said in a Sunday Truth Social post about Dan J. Sullivan and his supporters.”