Dunleavy Orders State Criminal Probe of Peltola Campaign Over Second Dan Sullivan

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy has ordered a state criminal investigation into allegations that Democrat Mary Peltola’s Senate campaign helped recruit a second Dan Sullivan to confuse voters.

Dunleavy, a Republican, posted on X at about 9 p.m. Wednesday that he had directed the Department of Public Safety “to investigate whether this scheme violated Alaska’s laws and whether criminal charges or civil action are warranted,” the Associated Press reported.

The governor said a New York Times report “reveals disturbing new evidence of an organized effort to manipulate Alaska’s elections” and “substantially supports” earlier findings by the state Division of Elections.

“Deliberately tricking voters into casting their ballots for someone else strikes at the integrity of our elections,” Dunleavy wrote. “Anyone or any organization found to have broken the law must be held accountable.”

The Times report, which cited 12 sources and text messages, described an effort to put Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., a retired Petersburg teacher, on the ballot against Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan. The paper noted ballot stacking is common and generally legal.

The ballot lists “Dan S. Sullivan” as the incumbent Republican. “Daniel J. Sullivan Jr.” appears with no party listed, the Juneau Independent reported.

Division of Elections Director Carol Beecher had removed the second Sullivan from the ballot, but the Alaska Supreme Court reinstated him. Asked about contact with Peltola’s campaign, he said: “Zero, none, zilch.”

Peltola Calls It a Diversion

Peltola, campaigning in Soldotna, dismissed the investigation. “It’s just another distraction. It’s another diversion,” she said. “This is all stuff to sell newspapers.”

Alaskans for Mary, a group backing her, said it “has no involvement with either Sullivan campaign.” The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee told ABC News it was “not involved with Dan J. Sullivan.”

President Trump weighed in, saying of Peltola’s campaign, “I think they should be prosecuted.” He also posted that “Peltola should suffer the Legal and Political consequences.”

Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, who chairs the National Republican Senatorial Committee, called for a federal probe. “I hope that the DOJ takes all the time necessary to prosecute and investigate this situation,” Scott said, according to The Hill.

Scott said he had “no doubt” Peltola’s campaign and “the Democrat apparatus” were “involved in collusion” to deceive voters, and he called it “a criminal offense.”

The Justice Department filed a lawsuit last Thursday seeking to halt certification of the race. The Alaska Department of Law argues the federal government lacks authority over the state’s election.

Some legal experts doubt a crime was committed. Election-law scholar Rick Hasen said, “I don’t see how the government could criminalize (Dan J. Sullivan) running for office for having impure motives.”

Dunleavy said the outcome depends on what investigators find. “The evidence will determine what happens next,” he said, ABC News reported.

Peltola is challenging Sullivan for his Senate seat in the Nov. 3 election. The state investigation and the federal lawsuit could stretch well beyond Election Day.

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