DOJ sues to block Alaska election results if GOP incumbent loses
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President Trump shakes hands with Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) as during a campaign rally in Wasilla, Alaska, on October 13. Photo: Kent Nishmura / AFP via Getty Images
The Trump administration sued Alaska on Thursday to block certification of election results if incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan loses.
Why it matters: The race between incumbent Sullivan, Democrat Mary Peltola, and retired teacher Dan Sullivan has been marked by controversy, with Republicans accusing Democrats of trying to confuse voters by planting a candidate with the same name.
- Alaska's use of ranked-choice voting complicates matters, eliminating candidates in rounds if no one gets 50% of the initial vote.
- "An election result may be impacted by voter confusion if: (1) Senator Sullivan does not win the election; and (2) had all votes cast for Daniel J. Sullivan been cast instead for Senator Sullivan and Alaska's rank-choice process played out accordingly, Senator Sullivan would have won the election," the lawsuit, filed in Alaska District Court, states.
The intrigue: The race is among those being closely watched as Democrats appear to be making inroads in red territory.
- The administration acknowledged the tight race in its lawsuit, saying "there is a realistic chance" that the non-incumbent Sullivan's presence on the ballot could tip the scales for Peltola.
Catch up quick: The retired teacher Sullivan, also running as a Republican, will appear on the ballot as Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. after the state's Supreme Court ordered the state's Division of Elections to include him in the race in June.
- Senator Sullivan will appear as "Sullivan, Dan S. (Registered Republican) Incumbent," per the state's sample ballots.
- The Division of Elections, whose director is named as a defendant in the government's suit, previously rejected the former teacher's candidacy, concluding he was running to confuse voters.
- But Sullivan has argued his candidacy is not a sham, and Peltola's campaign has denied any involvement with his run.
Zoom in: Because of the Alaska court's decision and Sullivan's name already being on the ballot, the administration contended in the lawsuit, the only means to ensure that the winner of the race is voters' choice "is to ensure that the certification is not impacted" by his candidacy.
- The suit appears to request a delay in the certification until after an investigation determines "whether votes cast for Daniel J. Sullivan were meant to be cast for Senator Sullivan."
Flashback: In the primary, Senator Sullivan collected around 41% of the vote, versus Sullivan's 2.5%.Peltola earned 49.5%
- Cook Political Report currently rates the race as a toss-up.
Go deeper: Scoop: NRSC pleads for $9M to defend three red seats
