Trump: Peltola Shouldn't Run After 2nd Sullivan Report

President Trump declared that Democrat Mary Peltola should not be permitted to compete in next week's Alaska Senate race. He made the statement after a New York Times report suggested that individuals connected to her campaign helped recruit a second candidate named Dan Sullivan.

The race currently features four candidates who advanced through a nonpartisan primary. The ballot lists incumbent Republican Senator Dan Sullivan, Peltola, and a retired teacher named Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. The voting system allows voters to rank these contenders rather than selecting a single name. The ballot identifies the sitting senator as a Republican and an incumbent. It lists Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. with no party affiliation.

The New York Times reported on Wednesday that a Democratic operative who worked with Peltola's campaign and national Democrats encouraged Daniel J. Sullivan to enter the race. The newspaper cited text messages and interviews for this claim. It described the move as part of a wider effort to draw more candidates into the contest.

Trump posted on Truth Social that Peltola perpetrated a terrible scheme. He stated that this constitutes election fraud and that Democrats cheated. He later told reporters that the situation represents voter fraud at the highest level. He said the opposing side created a fake candidate.

Peltola's campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee have denied any involvement in getting the duplicate Sullivan on the ballot. A Peltola spokesperson said the campaign has no involvement with either Sullivan campaign. A DSCC spokesperson also said the organization is not involved with Dan J. Sullivan. They noted that Republicans have a history of recruiting candidates to boost their own campaigns.

State officials initially tried to keep Daniel J. Sullivan off the ballot. They argued he was trying to confuse voters and lacked a good-faith candidacy. The Alaska Supreme Court rejected that decision and allowed him to appear on the ballot. Senator Dan Sullivan has called his same-name challenger a sham candidate who is trying to trick voters. Daniel J. Sullivan has denied those allegations and insisted on a genuine interest in the Senate seat.

The Justice Department filed a suit last week to prevent certification of the election if Senator Sullivan loses due to voter confusion. Attorney General Todd Blanche described the legal action as an effort to put guardrails in place. Trump said he told officials to do it. Nate Adams, a spokesperson for Senator Sullivan, said Alaskans deserve the truth. He accused Peltola's team of gaslighting voters while denying a scheme they were running all along.