Alaska Democrats helped recruit rival Dan J. Sullivan

Aides to Democratic Senate nominee Mary Peltola and senior officials at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee worked to recruit Daniel J. Sullivan for the Alaska Senate race, according to a report from The New York Times published Wednesday. The effort was designed to draw votes away from incumbent Republican Senator Dan S. Sullivan. The Times cited interviews, texts, and documents prepared for a potential lawsuit against Peltola's campaign. The newspaper stated that the project was not limited to Sullivan but included efforts to bring other "spoilers" into the contest to dilute the incumbent's support.

Elisa Rios, Peltola's former campaign manager, told the Times that Peltola was not directly involved in the project but was "definitely aware" of it. Rios said she was fired in August. She stated that Alaskan voters needed to know about the effort so they could make informed decisions. However, Rios later wrote to the Times that she wanted to retract her comments. She said she was confirming that she had retracted all statements regarding the 2026 Alaska Senate race and was no longer willing to be a source.

Both Peltola's campaign and the DSCC denied participating in efforts to recruit spoilers. Peltola's campaign told CNBC that the "Alaskans for Mary" campaign has no involvement with either Sullivan campaign. The campaign said it is focused on lowering costs and fixing the system in Washington. A DSCC spokesperson said the committee is not involved with Dan J. Sullivan. The spokesperson argued that Republicans have a long history of promoting third-party candidates to boost their own campaigns. They cited an example of Republicans recruiting a prisoner with a New York address to run against Peltola and spending nearly $500,000 to secure a ballot spot for an Arizona resident in this cycle.

The report follows a lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice days earlier. The DOJ alleged that the campaign by the non-incumbent Sullivan was geared toward acting as a spoiler due to voter confusion. The Justice Department asked a federal judge to block the certification of any Senate race result that may be impacted by confusion, pending an investigation into whether votes for Daniel J. Sullivan were meant for the senator. President Donald Trump said he ordered the lawsuit. After the Times report, Trump posted on Truth Social that he demanded both Peltola and Daniel J. Sullivan be removed from the ballot. He claimed Democrats illegally sought out the same-named man to defraud and confuse the election.

Alaska uses ranked-choice voting, which allows voters to rank candidates by preference. This system could allow a vote for the non-incumbent Sullivan to transfer to the incumbent senator if the non-incumbent is eliminated in the first round of counting. On the ballot, Daniel J. Sullivan is listed as "Sullivan, Daniel J. Jr." with no other words. Directly below him, Senator Dan S. Sullivan is listed as "Sullivan, Dan. S." with "Registered Republican, incumbent" in parentheses. The state's Division of Elections said it has taken significant steps to distinguish between the two men so voters can easily determine who is who.

Peltola's campaign, the DSCC, and Alaska election officials have asked Judge Sharon Gleason to dismiss the DOJ suit before Election Day on Nov. 3. State officials argued in a court filing that the DOJ lacks authority to intervene in state elections. They said the lawsuit casts a cloud over Alaska's election. The League of Women Voters of Alaska and Common Cause have sought to intervene in the case to oppose the DOJ's efforts.

Gleason fast-tracked the case on Monday evening. This move increased the chance she will decide whether to dismiss the case in U.S. District Court in Anchorage before the election. Daniel J. Sullivan previously prevailed in a legal fight that allowed him on the nonpartisan primary ballot. State election officials had opposed his presence, arguing it would confuse voters. He won enough votes in that contest to secure a place as one of four candidates on the general election ballot.

The winner of the race could determine whether Democrats regain a majority in the Senate or if Republicans retain their current majority. Peltola is the only Democrat on the ballot. The DOJ investigation will determine if the votes cast for the non-incumbent were intended for the senator.