Alaska Senator Accuses Rival of Hiding Decoy Candidate Scheme

The race for the U.S. Senate in Alaska has entered its final days with a dispute over whether the Democratic campaign knowingly placed a second candidate with the same name as the incumbent on the ballot. Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan stated on Sunday that he doubts his opponent, Mary Peltola, had no knowledge that her top aides were involved in recruiting the decoy candidate.

Sullivan appeared on CNN's State of the Union to address the controversy directly. He said, “There is no way this went on for a year that they weren’t informing her.” The senator added that he believes Peltola is still lying to voters, the media, and the public.

The conflict centers on the presence of Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. on the ballot. The incumbent is listed as Dan S. Sullivan. Sullivan Jr. is a retired schoolteacher who has insisted he ran on his own accord. Republicans have long suspected that Peltola's team was behind the move. Their suspicions were strengthened by a New York Times report last week. That report cited interviews with Peltola's former campaign manager, text messages, and campaign finance documents. These records showed that an operative trying to recruit decoy candidates was paid by a group supporting Peltola.

Peltola has maintained that she had nothing to do with recruiting the other Sullivan. She has described the scrutiny as a distraction from high prices caused by the war in Iran. Her campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee have both denied involvement in the strategy. Before a rally on Friday, Peltola told KTUU that she had no idea if someone on her campaign was involved. She said, “I honestly have no idea.”

The situation has drawn national attention. President Donald Trump has ordered the Department of Justice to file a lawsuit to stop the certification of a potential Peltola victory. He has also called for the Democratic candidate to be prosecuted. Federal agents have issued subpoenas in the case. The Republican governor of Alaska has ordered an investigation and suggested he may not certify a win for Peltola.

Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., who heads the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee, said on NBC's Meet the Press that criminal charges might make sense. He stated, “We know that it is criminal for candidates to work in collusion with other parties to confuse voters.”

Some Democrats have pushed back against the severity of the response. Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., noted that candidates with the same name as others on the ballot happens frequently. He called the strategy “stupid politics” but said Peltola has said she had nothing to do with it. Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont, agreed that the move was “pretty dumb” but not illegal. He said on CBS's Face the Nation that such tactics happen in every election.

Sullivan said he would let lawyers determine if crimes were committed. He expressed confidence that the second Sullivan will affect the outcome of the election. He said, “I’m sure I’m going to lose a lot of votes to that trickery.” When asked if he would urge the state not to certify a Peltola win, Sullivan said he is going to accept the results of the election.

Both candidates are in the final phase of their campaigns across the state. On Saturday night, Sullivan attended a trunk-or-treat event at a recreation center north of Anchorage. He handed out candy and joked that his costume was “the real Dan Sullivan.”

Election Day is scheduled for Tuesday. The outcome will determine which party controls the U.S. Senate.