The National Republican Senatorial Committee has asked the Federal Election Commission to investigate Democratic Alaska Senate candidate Mary Peltola's role in the effort to support a spoiler candidate with the same name as her opponent, and to refer the matter to the Justice Department if the FEC finds knowing and willful violations, according to details first shared with Semafor.
The complaint, filed on the heels of New York Times reporting on efforts by national Democrats and the Peltola campaign to draft Dan J. Sullivan into the Senate race, expands an earlier NRSC request from June. It alleges federal laws were violated because Dan J. Sullivan was recruited "because of his name for the deliberate purpose of misleading Alaska voters into voting for the wrong candidate" and that Peltola allies inappropriately coordinated with outside groups to aid him.
"It is now clear that Respondent Sullivan's sham candidacy was the product of a months-long 'ballot composition Project' run by agents of Ms. Peltola and her campaign committee, Alaskans for Mary (together,the 'Peltola Campaign'), and financed by multiple super PACs," the complaint reads. The NRSC asks the FEC to "sanction to the fullest extent of the law all the violations it finds."
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee noted in response that the FEC is without a quorum. A spokesperson said the Republican complaint is "part of the Republicans' dangerous effort to interfere in the Alaska Senate race, fully weaponizing the Department of Justice against political opponents and threatening to refuse to certify the election because they know their candidates are deeply unpopular on the issues that matter to voters."
With the midterms now days away, the complaint is part of an urgent effort to discredit Peltola in a race that could easily determine the Senate majority. The Justice Department is also investigating the matter. Republicans are worried the existence of a second Dan Sullivan on the ballot will cost the two-term incumbent votes in the state's race, which uses a unique ranked choice system to tabulate votes. Alaska's moderate Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski said that "recruiting candidates to manipulate the field and influence voting outcomes is simply wrong. Alaskans deserve the honest truth from Mary and her campaign."
The new complaint also alleges that "Sullivan was not the only spoiler candidate that the Peltola Campaign attempted to recruit to run," naming Gerald Heikes, who is also on the ballot.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The FEC complaint lands days before the midterms in a Senate race that could determine control of the upper chamber.
- If the FEC refers the matter to the Justice Department, the Peltola campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee could face legal consequences.
- The allegations put Alaska's ranked-choice voting system and the ways candidates shape the ballot under scrutiny.
Background
The race pits two-term Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan against Democrat Mary Peltola in Alaska, which uses a ranked-choice system in which voters rank candidates in order of preference. A second candidate with the same name can misdirect or split votes in such a system. The NRSC first asked the FEC to investigate the other Dan Sullivan in June; this expanded complaint follows New York Times reporting on the alleged effort to draft Dan J. Sullivan into the race.
Key Perspectives
National Republican Senatorial Committee: Alleges a months-long "ballot composition Project" run by Peltola's agents and financed by multiple super PACs produced Dan J. Sullivan's "sham candidacy," and asks the FEC to sanction all violations "to the fullest extent of the law."
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee: Calls the complaint "part of the Republicans' dangerous effort to interfere in the Alaska Senate race," accusing Republicans of weaponizing the Justice Department against political opponents and threatening to refuse to certify the election.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski: Says recruiting candidates to manipulate the field and influence voting outcomes "is simply wrong," and that Alaskans deserve "the honest truth" from Peltola.
What to Watch
- Whether the FEC, which the DSCC says is without a quorum, takes formal action on the NRSC's request.
- Whether the Justice Department's existing investigation yields charges or a referral before or after the election.
- How the presence of Dan J. Sullivan on the ballot affects ranked-choice counting in a race that could determine the Senate majority.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedRepublicans ask the FEC to investigate Peltola’s role in supporting a same-name spoiler candidate.Semafor: “Top Republicans are directing the Federal Election Commission to investigate Democratic Alaska Senate candidate Mary Peltola’s role in the effort to prop up a spoiler candidate with the same name as her opponent, incumbent GOP Sen. Dan Sullivan”
- SupportedThe NRSC widened its complaint to cover Peltola’s campaign and the DSCC.Semafor: “the National Republican Senatorial Committee is asking the FEC to probe both the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and Peltola’s campaign”
- SupportedThe DSCC called the complaint an effort to interfere in the Alaska Senate race.Semafor: “A spokesperson said the GOP’s complaint is “part of the Republicans' dangerous effort to interfere in the Alaska Senate race”
- SupportedThe NRSC asks the FEC to refer the matter to the Justice Department if it finds the violations were knowing and willful.Semafor: “refer the matter to the Justice Department if the FEC determines “these violations were knowing and willful.””
- SupportedThe complaint alleges Dan J. Sullivan was recruited because of his name to mislead Alaska voters into voting for the wrong candidate.Semafor: “Dan J. Sullivan was recruited “because of his name for the deliberate purpose of misleading Alaska voters into voting for the wrong candidate””
- SupportedThe complaint alleges Peltola allies inappropriately coordinated with outside groups to aid Sullivan.Semafor: “that Peltola allies inappropriately coordinated with outside groups to aid him.”
- SupportedThe complaint says Sullivan’s candidacy resulted from a months-long “ballot composition Project” run by Peltola campaign agents and financed by multiple super PACs.Semafor: ““It is now clear that Respondent Sullivan’s sham candidacy was the product of a months-long ‘ballot composition Project’ run by agents of Ms. Peltola and her campaign committee, Alaskans for Mary (together,the ‘Peltola Campaign’), and financed by multiple super PACs,””
- Partly supportedThe DSCC spokesperson said the Republican complaint was “part of the Republicans’ dangerous effort” to interfere in the race.Semafor: “A spokesperson said the GOP’s complaint is “part of the Republicans' dangerous effort to interfere in the Alaska Senate race”
- SupportedThe DSCC noted that the FEC is without a quorum.Semafor: “The DSCC noted in a response that the FEC is without a quorum.”
- SupportedThe Justice Department is also investigating the matter.Semafor: “The Justice Department is also investigating the matter.”
- SupportedLisa Murkowski said recruiting candidates to manipulate the field and influence voting outcomes is wrong and Alaskans deserve the truth from Peltola and her campaign.Semafor: “Alaska’s moderate Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski said that “recruiting candidates to manipulate the field and influence voting outcomes is simply wrong. Alaskans deserve the honest truth from Mary and her campaign.””
- SupportedThe complaint alleges the Peltola Campaign tried to recruit Gerald Heikes as another spoiler candidate, and says he is also on the ballot.Semafor: “The complaint also alleges that “Sullivan was not the only spoiler candidate that the Peltola Campaign attempted to recruit to run,” naming Gerald Heikes, who is also on the ballot.”