Alaska governor casts doubt on certifying election if Peltola wins
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Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy, during a campaign event in Wasilla, Alaska, on Oct. 13. Photo: Nathaniel Wilder/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) suggested Thursday the state could withhold certification of the U.S. Senate election results if Democrat Mary Peltola wins.
Why it matters: Withholding certification could complicate Peltola's path to the Senate, as Republicans investigate allegations that Democrats recruited a candidate with the same name as GOP incumbent Dan Sullivan.
Driving the news: Asked during an interview with NewsNation whether he would certify the election if Peltola wins while the matter remains under investigation, Dunleavy stopped short of committing to do so.
- "We're going to investigate it. We're going to follow the law," Dunleavy said, adding that any findings of illegal conduct "may in fact impact whether somebody is seated in the U.S. Senate."
- He said the matter would involve discussions with Senate leadership and that officials would need more information before determining "whether we send something down or not."
- Pressed on why he had not given an unequivocal yes, Dunleavy said: "We're going to ensure that we aren't going to send a scam to Washington."
For the record: Representatives for Peltola's campaign did not immediately respond to Axios' Thursday evening request for comment.
- Peltola has denied any involvement in the alleged scheme.
The big picture: House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) is investigating allegations that Democratic operatives recruited another candidate named Dan Sullivan to draw votes away from the Republican incumbent.
- President Trump accused Democrats and Peltola's campaign of fraud and perjury Wednesday after the New York Times reported that her aides helped recruit another Dan Sullivan.
- Meanwhile, Dunleavy has separately ordered Alaska's Department of Public Safety to investigate whether the alleged recruitment effort violated state law.
- The Justice Department has also filed a lawsuit seeking to delay certification of the election results if the incumbent Sullivan loses.
What's next: Dunleavy's term ends Dec. 7, less than two weeks after Alaska's target date for certifying election results.
- Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins is leading in recent polls to succeed him, raising the possibility that any certification dispute could extend into a new administration.
