For months, Republicans in Alaska have alleged that the second Dan Sullivan running for U.S. Senate was no coincidence. Now there is new reporting behind that accusation, with a New York Times investigation saying Democratic operatives worked on what insiders called a “ballot composition project” aimed at recruiting candidates who could complicate Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan’s reelection bid, including an effort to find another Alaskan named Dan Sullivan.
Yes, There Are Two Dan Sullivans on the Ballot
The Nov. 3 Senate ballot is unusual even by Alaska standards. According to the Alaska Division of Elections, voters will see both Republican incumbent Dan S. Sullivan and retired Petersburg teacher Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., along with Democrat Mary Peltola and Republican Gerald Heikes.
- Dan S. Sullivan: Republican incumbent U.S. senator
- Daniel J. Sullivan Jr.: No party affiliation listed on the general election ballot
- Mary Peltola: Democrat and former U.S. representative
- Gerald Heikes: Republican
The distinction between the two Sullivans is visible on the ballot. The senator is identified as the Republican incumbent, while Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. appears without a party designation. Alaska also uses ranked-choice voting in the general election, adding another layer to an already unusual ballot.
The New Reporting Changes the Story
According to NOTUS, summarizing the New York Times investigation, staff connected to Peltola’s campaign and officials with the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee were involved in discussions about recruiting additional candidates. The Times reportedly reviewed dozens of text messages and interviewed 12 people familiar with the effort, including reporting that one directive was to locate people in Alaska named Dan Sullivan. A retired teacher with that name ultimately entered the race.
The Peltola campaign denies recruiting candidates into the race, while the DSCC has also denied involvement with Daniel J. Sullivan or any effort to recruit Republican candidates. The new reporting does not erase those denials, but it does move the story beyond the realm of a purely accusation by documenting internal discussions about shaping the ballot.
Alaska Election Officials Had Already Raised Red Flags
The controversy did not begin this week. In June, Alaska election officials investigated Daniel J. Sullivan’s filing after complaints alleged that his candidacy was designed to confuse voters. In a June 15 determination, the Division of Elections concluded that the preponderance of evidence indicated his declaration had not been filed as a good-faith candidacy, but instead with a purpose to “confuse or mislead” voters and compromise the fairness or neutrality of the ballot.
The Alaska Supreme Court later allowed Sullivan to remain a candidate, and he advanced through the state’s nonpartisan primary. He received about 2% of the primary vote, enough to reach the four-candidate general election ballot, while The Associated Press has detailed the resulting legal fight over his candidacy and the potential effect on the November result.
And This Race Could Be Extremely Close
That is what makes the entire episode more than a political curiosity. Peltola and Sen. Sullivan are locked in one of the country’s most competitive Senate races, with control of the chamber potentially hanging on a handful of close contests. The Trump administration has already filed a federal lawsuit challenging how Alaska could certify the election if voter confusion involving the two Sullivans affects the outcome, while Alaska is fighting that lawsuit and arguing that the ballot clearly distinguishes the candidates.
Daniel J. Sullivan has denied that he entered the race as a Democratic plant and maintains that he decided to run on his own. What is no longer merely hypothetical, however, is that Democratic operatives reportedly discussed recruiting spoiler candidates and specifically looked for another person named Dan Sullivan.
With both men now appearing on the same Senate ballot, Alaska’s already unusual race has somehow become even stranger just days before Election Day.
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