Peltola Campaign Denies Role in Recruiting Challenger Named Dan J. Sullivan

The campaign for Alaska Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola stated Wednesday that it has no involvement with the campaign of Dan J. Sullivan, a Republican challenger who shares a first name with incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan. This denial followed a New York Times report released the same day alleging that Peltola's team and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) helped recruit the challenger to sow voter confusion.

The Times article, which relied on 12 sources, text messages, and documents, described an internal initiative called the ballot composition project. The report claimed that members of Peltola's campaign, her lawyers, and senior DSCC aides pushed Sullivan to run. The stated goal was to find a spoiler candidate who could siphon votes from Sen. Sullivan, a tactic known as ballot stacking that the Times noted is generally considered legal.

The dispute traces back to the August primary, where Peltola finished first with 49.5% of the vote. Sen. Sullivan placed second with 41.4%. Dan J. Sullivan took third with 2.5%, while Democrat David Leslie received 1.1% before dropping out. Republican Gerald Heikes, who finished fifth with 1%, moved into the fourth spot on the November ballot. On the general election ballot, the incumbent is listed as Dan S. Sullivan, a registered Republican, while the challenger appears as Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. with no party affiliation.

The DSCC told ABC News that it was not involved with Dan J. Sullivan. A spokesperson for the committee wrote that Republicans have a history of propping up candidates to boost their own campaigns, citing a 2024 instance where the state party supported a Democratic House candidate in federal prison who challenged Peltola for reelection. Nate Adams, the campaign spokesperson for Sen. Sullivan, said Alaskans deserve the truth and accused Peltola of gaslighting voters.

Former Peltola staffer Elisa Rios told the Times that Peltola was definitely aware of the recruitment effort, though not directly involved. Rios later requested a retraction of those statements without providing a reason. She was fired from the campaign this past summer, days before the primary, during a period the campaign described as staffing updates for the general election.

President Donald Trump posted on social media Wednesday afternoon that Peltola should suffer legal and political consequences, calling the situation election fraud. He argued that Peltola and Dan J. Sullivan should be removed from the ballot. The Department of Justice has an active criminal investigation into the candidacy, which began several months ago. The Alaska Department of Law said the Times story confirmed its initial concerns but did not change its legal position.

The Trump administration filed a lawsuit last week to block certification of the race if Sen. Sullivan loses narrowly, citing voter confusion. District Judge Sharon Gleason expressed skepticism about the government's strategy on Monday, noting the late timing of the filing as Alaskans have already begun casting ballots. ABC News reached out to Dan J. Sullivan's campaign and the Alaska Department of Elections for comment.