Peltola Campaign Denies Role in Recruiting Rival Dan J. Sullivan

The campaign of Alaska Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola denied any role in recruiting Dan J. Sullivan, a Republican on the November ballot who shares a first name with incumbent Senator Dan Sullivan. The denial followed a Wednesday report alleging that Peltola’s team, her lawyers, and senior aides at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee contributed to pushing Sullivan to run. The report relied on 12 sources, text messages, and documents describing an internal effort to create a spoiler candidate who could siphon votes from the incumbent and benefit Peltola.

The initiative was internally referred to as the ballot composition project. Alaskans for Mary, Peltola’s campaign committee, stated through a spokesperson on Wednesday that it has no involvement with either Sullivan campaign. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee said in a statement that it was also not involved with Dan J. Sullivan. A spokesperson for the group noted that Republicans have a history of recruiting candidates to boost their own campaigns, citing a 2024 instance where the state Republican Party supported a Democratic House candidate to challenge Peltola.

The current race features four candidates after the August primary. Peltola finished first with 49.5 percent of the vote. Incumbent Senator Dan Sullivan, listed on the ballot as Dan S. Sullivan, came in second with 41.4 percent. Dan J. Sullivan, listed as Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. With no party affiliation, placed third with 2.5 percent. Democrat David Leslie finished fourth with 1.1 percent but later dropped out. Republican Gerald Heikes, who finished fifth with 1 percent, moved into the fourth spot on the general election ballot.

Former Peltola staffer Elisa Rios said about the recruitment effort, stating that Peltola was not directly involved but was definitely aware. Rios later requested a retraction of those statements without disclosing a reason. She was fired from the campaign this past summer, days before the primary. The Peltola campaign said at the time that it had undergone staffing updates as it transitioned into the general election.

President Donald Trump responded to the report in a social media post Wednesday afternoon. He said Peltola should suffer legal and political consequences and that she and Dan J. Sullivan should be kicked off the ballot. Trump described Peltola’s actions as election fraud and wrote that the incumbent should be allowed to run without the confusion of two Sullivans on the ballot.

Alaska courts previously evaluated the dispute over Dan J. Sullivan’s candidacy and found nothing illegal about his bid. The New York Times reported that ballot-stacking tactics are common in politics and widely considered legal. Nate Adams, a spokesperson for incumbent Senator Sullivan, said Alaskans deserve the truth and claimed Peltola’s campaign has spent months gaslighting voters.

The Department of Justice has an active criminal investigation into the circumstances surrounding Dan J. Sullivan’s candidacy. The Alaska Department of Law said the Times story confirmed its initial concerns but did not impact the ongoing litigation. The department noted that placing candidates on the ballot is a matter of state law and that it is bound by an Alaska Supreme Court order to place Daniel J. On the ballot. The Trump administration filed a lawsuit last week to block certification of the race if Senator Sullivan narrowly loses, citing voter confusion. District Judge Sharon Gleason expressed skepticism of the government’s strategy on Monday, noting the late timing of the actions as Alaskans had already begun casting ballots.