House Republicans launch Alaska Senate race probe
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House Oversight Chair James Comer at the U.S. Capitol on Sept. 3. Photo: Craig Hudson/Bloomberg via Getty Images
House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) is investigating allegations that Democratic operatives recruited an Alaska Senate candidate with the same name as incumbent Dan Sullivan (R) in a bid to siphon votes from him.
Why it matters: The probe draws Congress into an escalating controversy surrounding Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola's campaign in one of the country's most competitive races.
- Comer is seeking transcribed interviews with Elisa Rios, Peltola's former campaign manager, and Democratic operative Jerid Kurtz, requesting that they appear on Nov. 5 and 6, respectively.
- He threatened to use subpoenas to compel testimony from the two Democratic operatives, who are allegedly involved in the recruitment effort. Neither Rios nor Kurtz responded to requests for comment.
Driving the news: The New York Times reported Wednesday that top Peltola campaign staffers directed efforts to track down another Dan Sullivan to enter the race as part of a broader bid to recruit other would-be spoilers and dilute the incumbent Sullivan's support.
- The other Dan Sullivan, a retired teacher who will also appear on the ballot, registered as a Republican shortly before the filing deadline.
- Both the Peltola campaign and the DSCC denied involvement in recruiting the other Sullivan, according to the Times. Neither responded to a request for comment from Axios.
- Rios, who was fired amid an August staff upheaval, told the Times that "voters should get the full picture when making their decisions." The newspaper said she later tried to retract her comments for the story.
The big picture: Comer's probe adds to mounting pre-election Republican scrutiny of Peltola's campaign and the Alaska race, following a separate state investigation and a Justice Department lawsuit seeking to delay certification of election results if the incumbent Sullivan loses.
- In response to the New York Times piece, Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy on Thursday directed the state's Department of Public Safety "to investigate whether this scheme violated Alaska's laws and whether criminal charges or civil action are warranted."
- President Trump told reporters late Wednesday that Peltola "should be removed from the ballot and prosecuted."
What they're saying: "Knowing they can't win on the issues, Democrats schemed to rig the U.S. Senate election in Alaska by deliberately confusing voters," Comer said in a statement Thursday.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional reporting.
