Alaska governor orders investigation in U.S. Senate race

The New York Times alleged Democratic operatives sought to recruit candidates with the same name as incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska. In the summer of 2025, operatives allegedly influenced Daniel J. Sullivan, a schoolteacher from Petersburg, to run. 

"Deliberately tricking voters into casting their ballots for someone else strikes at the integrity of our elections," Dunleavy wrote in a post on social media. "Anyone or any organization found to have broken the law must be held accountable." 

Dunleavy said he ordered the Department of Public Safety to investigate whether the alleged scheme violated Alaska's laws and whether criminal action or civil penalties are appropriate. 

Peltola's campaign denied involvement.

“The Alaskans for Mary campaign has no involvement with either Sullivan campaign. Like Mary, our campaign is focused on lowering costs and fixing the rigged system in DC," a spokesperson for Alaskans for Mary said in an email to The Center Square.

The planned investigation also comes after the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit to block certification of the Senate race if Daniel J. Sullivan remained on the ballot. President Donald Trump said he ordered for the Justice Department to pursue the lawsuit. 

“It’s cheating. It’s a spoiler candidate to go on the ballot with the exact same name as your great Senator Dan Sullivan. This guy’s name is Dan Sullivan. He knew nothing about politics.” Trump said in a video. “He was just put there by the Democrats to confuse the voters, and it’s very unfair. But that’s what they do. They cheat. They lie. They steal.” 

Alaska's general elections allow four candidates from various political parties to be included on the ballot. Dan Sullivan and Peltola topped the primary election ballot. Daniel J. Sullivan and Gerald Heikes each recieved less than 3% of votes in the primary, but were included on the four-candidate ballot. 

The U.S. Department of Justice did not immediately respond to The Center Square's request for comment following the release of the investigation. 

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee allegedly participated in the efforts to select spoiler candidates in Alaska, according to the New York Times investigation. However, Monica Robinson, a spokesperson for the DSCC, pointed to Republican efforts to spoil ballots in other elections. 

"Republicans have a long history of recruiting ​and propping up candidates in an attempt to boost their own campaigns – including recruiting a prisoner with a New ‌York ⁠address to run against Mary Peltola and spending nearly half a million dollars to secure a spot on the ballot in Alaska for an Arizona resident in the Senate race this cycle,” Robinson said in a statement. 

Dunleavy said the investigation from the New York Times supports a June inquiry by the Alaska Division of Elections to clarify the difference between candidates. The division added a middle initial, denoted the incumbent Sullivan and did not include party preference next to Daniel J. Sullivan's name on the ballot. 

"The new reporting substantially supports the Division’s findings," Dunleavy wrote. "Alaskans have a fundamental right to vote for the candidate they actually intend to support."