Two Dan Sullivans appear on Alaska Senate ballot amid voter confusion claims

Two candidates named Dan Sullivan are competing in the Alaska U.S. Senate race, a situation that has triggered a state government inquiry and sharp partisan criticism. The ballot lists Daniel J. Sullivan without additional descriptors, while Daniel S. Sullivan is identified as the incumbent Republican.

The New York Times reported on Wednesday that staff members for Democratic candidate Mary Peltola previously attempted to recruit a candidate who shared the name of the sitting senator. The effort was not illegal, but the move prompted Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy to order an investigation into alleged election manipulation.

President Donald Trump addressed the issue on Thursday before departing for South Carolina. He described the situation as a fraud and stated that it was orchestrated in conjunction with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. "So nobody’s going to know what to do. That’s a fraud. And it shouldn’t be allowed to happen," Trump said.

Vice President JD Vance echoed the president's sentiment on Thursday, calling the actions disgraceful. Vance suggested that the campaign had committed a moral failing and expressed hope that Alaska voters would punish Peltola for the move.

Peltola's campaign issued a statement asserting it had no involvement with either Sullivan campaign. The Alaska Supreme Court had previously ruled that both men should remain on the ballot. The state uses ranked choice voting, meaning if no candidate secures a majority on election day, the ranked preferences will be tallied.

In the House, Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., chair of the Oversight Committee, announced on Thursday that he is launching a separate investigation. Comer sent a letter to the Peltola campaign requesting in-person testimony from key staffers next week to determine if voters were intentionally confused.