Trump: Sen. Sullivan should get votes cast for Alaska's other Sullivan

Avery Lotz

President Trump, wearing a blue suit jacket, shakes hands with another man (Sen. Dan Sullivan), who is wearing a blue zip-up jacket, a ball cap and a collared shirt. — President Trump shakes hands with Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) during a campaign rally in Wasilla, Alaska, on October 13. Photo: Kent Nishimura/ AFP via Getty Images

President Trump wrote Thursday that incumbent Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan (R) should receive the vote totals for Dan J. Sullivan, a Senate candidate in Alaska's tumultuous race who has the same name as the incumbent lawmaker.

The big picture: Trump's DOJ has sought to intervene in the race, citing voter confusion, and recently escalated its probes by sending target letters to Democratic operatives.

Driving the news: "The vote totals for the Fake Dan Sullivan, plus the other 'slug' that the Dems put on the Ballot, should be immediately given to the REAL Dan Sullivan, and the Election is over," Trump wrote in a Thursday post.

He added: "He easily wins. There is no other fair solution!"

By the numbers: Democrat Mary Peltola is up in the race as of Thursday around 9 a.m. ET, but Sen. Sullivan trails close behind with 75% of the vote counted, per the Associated Press.

As of Thursday morning, Sullivan, who was listed on the ballot as "Sullivan, Daniel J. Jr." was in last place in Alaska with 3,600 votes. Gerald L. Heikes, another Republican on the ballot, was in third with over 4,800.

Catch up quick: The controversy over the closely watched race picked up last month, when the DOJ alleged that Sullivan's presence on the ballot threatened "to mislead Alaskan citizens who want to vote for Senator Sullivan" and argued it was "vital" for Alaska's election authorities not to certify a result that may be affected "by voter confusion."

It came months after the Alaska Supreme Court upheld a decision permitting Sullivan to appear on the primary ballot.
While Peltola's campaign denied involvement in Sullivan's bid, The New York Times recently reported that senior advisers coordinated with people to recruit him and try to lure others into the race.

The latest: A federal judge dismissed the DOJ's bid to delay certification, but the department appealed the decision.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional information.

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Trump: Sen. Sullivan should get votes cast for Alaska's other Sullivan

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