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US Politics

Trump alleges fraud over second Dan Sullivan on Alaska's Senate ballot

The New York Times reported that people tied to Democrat Mary Peltola's campaign recruited the namesake candidate, and Peltola denies any involvement in a scheme.

9 news outlets reported this · Little coverage from liberal outlets
Liberal1 outletTrump's late-night reaction and Alaskans unfazed by ballotCenter2 outletsAlleged namesake candidate meant to confuse votersConservative6 outletsAlleged Democratic decoy plot and voters' reaction
Published 3 min read
Overview

Alaskans voted on Tuesday, Nov. 3, in a US race between Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan and Democrat Mary Peltola, a former congresswoman. Also on the ballot are Daniel J. Sullivan, an independent and retired schoolteacher with nearly the same name, and Gerald Heikes, identified as a Republican. Alaska uses voting.

The New York Times reported that people connected to Peltola's campaign recruited the second Sullivan. Peltola denies involvement. At a rally she said, "I knew nothing about any other candidates on the ballot," apart from herself and the incumbent.

President Trump wrote on Truth Social that the independent Sullivan was "missing in action" and told Fox & Friends on Tuesday that the matter is "a criminal act." CBS News reported that the independent left his hometown of Petersburg and flew to Anchorage. According to the New York Post, he remained missing on Election Day and did not respond to its messages.

The Post also reports a investigation and DOJ litigation aimed at stalling certification if Peltola wins. The Post Millennial reports that the Alaska rejected a bid to remove him from the ballot. The New York Post says the RealClearPolitics average shows Peltola ahead by 1 percentage point.

Key figures
  • 1 percentage point Peltola's lead in the RealClearPolitics polling average — New York Post
  • 2.5% vote share of Daniel J. Sullivan in the Aug. 18 primary — New York Post
  • 1.1% vote share of Gerald Heikes in the Aug. 18 primary — New York Post

Three sides of the story

Liberal1 outlet

Trump's late-night reaction and Alaskans unfazed by ballot

The New Republic opens with Trump's reaction, saying he "freaked out" in Monday-night Truth Social posts as Republicans appear "on the brink of losing power in ." It quotes his post calling the independent Daniel J. Sullivan "MISSING IN ACTION" and his guess that Democratic lawyers may have "KIDNAPPED" him. The piece sets out the reporting behind the story: CBS News on the independent flying to Anchorage, and the New York Times on his recruitment by individuals connected to Peltola's campaign.

It also notes Trump's endorsements of Sen. Sullivan, Bernadette Wilson for governor and Nick Begich for . It closes on Alaskans who say they can read a ballot. An Anchorage resident told CNN you can "absolutely" tell who's who, adding, "It's pretty clear."

Center2 outlets

Alleged namesake candidate meant to confuse voters

A Hill opinion piece titled "In search of the real Dan Sullivan" looks at the Alaska Senate dispute. It says the Peltola campaign was accused of trying to bring in a candidate with the same name as the incumbent, so that voters would be confused in the primary. According to the piece, the matter produced court fights and probes, and these in the end did not undo the election outcome.

Conservative6 outlets

Alleged Democratic decoy plot and voters' reaction

Fox News follows a voter who says he moved from Peltola to Sullivan, calling the reported plot "so sleazy." It adds Peltola's rally denial, "I am not interested in tricking voters," and Sullivan's remark about "the extent of the corruption." RedState repeats the voter's account under a headline asking whether Democrats have "jumped the shark," and embeds Stephen Miller's post calling the move an attack on election integrity.

The New York Post leads with the independent being missing on Election Day and Trump calling it "a criminal act." It reports a Justice Department investigation and polls showing Peltola narrowly ahead or tied. The Post Millennial features voter Greg Martone, who says he "might be just having a brain freeze" and does not recall the second Sullivan.

It also reports that the Alaska Supreme Court rejected the bid to remove him from the ballot.

All sources: 12 articles from 9 outlets

Liberal (2)

Center (2)

Conservative (8)

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