Democratic operatives were behind an unusual effort to divide Republican votes in Alaska's closely watched U.S. Senate race by recruiting a candidate with the same name as the incumbent Republican senator, according to a Wednesday report from The New York Times.
The scheme involved recruiting Daniel J. Sullivan to run as a Republican against Sen. Dan Sullivan, whose full name is Daniel S. Sullivan, in a race that could help determine which party controls the Senate.
The Times based its reporting on interviews with several people involved in the effort, including Elisa Rios, the former campaign manager for Democratic Senate nominee Mary Peltola, as well as text messages exchanged by people working to recruit candidates.
In one message, a consultant associated with Peltola's campaign appeared to mock people participating in an observed focus group.
“Do we have a scheme for you,” the consultant wrote, according to The Times.
Same Name, Same Party, Different Candidate
Daniel J. Sullivan announced his Republican Senate candidacy in late May, launching a website and issuing a public statement that closely resembled materials used by the incumbent senator.
Several news reports noted the challenger's campaign website and Facebook page had been created just one day before his announcement.
The similarities raised questions about whether his candidacy was intended to confuse voters or draw support away from the incumbent Republican.
According to The Times, Peltola was not directly involved in the effort but was aware of what was happening.
Her campaign denied involvement when contacted by the newspaper and did not immediately respond to a separate email requesting comment.
Justice Department Challenges Candidacy
The revelations come amid a legal battle over the potential impact of the second Sullivan's candidacy on the election results.
Days before The Times published its investigation, the Justice Department filed a lawsuit seeking to prevent certification of the election if the incumbent loses by a margin roughly equal to the votes received by his namesake challenger.
However, a federal court ruled that the Justice Department lacked standing to pursue the matter.
Alaska's Supreme Court had also upheld Daniel J. Sullivan's candidacy earlier this year.
The controversy is not entirely unprecedented. Both political parties have previously faced accusations of using similarly named candidates to divide their opponents' support.
In Washington state's 2024 gubernatorial election, another candidate named Bob Ferguson briefly entered the race, potentially complicating the campaign of the Democratic front-runner, then-Attorney General Bob Ferguson.
Senate Control Hangs in the Balance
The Alaska race carries national implications.
The Cook Political Report rates the seat as one of six Republican-held Senate seats considered toss-ups. Only one Democratic-held seat falls into that category.
Democrats need a net gain of four seats to reclaim control of the Senate, which plays a critical role in confirming Cabinet officials and federal judges.
Meanwhile, Rios attempted to withdraw her comments to The Times before Wednesday's publication.
The newspaper declined, explaining that it “had never agreed that those previous interviews could not be published.”
The Times also maintained that “Rios’s interviews were consistent with The Times’s other reporting.”
