Democrats Recruited Second Dan Sullivan to Confuse Alaska Voters: Report

Democratic operatives aligned with Mary Peltola spent months trying to recruit another Dan Sullivan into Alaska’s Senate race, seeking to confuse voters and divert support from the Republican incumbent.

The effort allegedly reached senior officials at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, or DSCC, according to a New York Times investigation.

Its central target was a namesake of Senator Dan S. Sullivan, whose seat could help determine control of the Senate.

Dan J. Sullivan, a retired teacher from Petersburg, entered the contest this spring.

He is now among four candidates on Tuesday’s ballot, alongside the incumbent, Peltola, and Republican Gerald Heikes.

Peltola’s campaign and the DSCC denied recruiting candidates. The teacher has previously said he decided to run independently.

“The Alaskans for Mary campaign has no involvement with either Sullivan campaign and did not recruit any candidates into the race,” the campaign said.

Clash Report

A Search Through Voter Records

The operation began in summer 2025, when senior Peltola aides instructed a staffer to identify Alaskans named Dan Sullivan using voter records, the Times reported.

Internally known as the ballot composition project, it expanded into a broader effort to place candidates on the ballot who could draw support from the senator.

Participants also explored establishing a right-wing MAGA party, although that proposal was abandoned in May.

The newspaper cited interviews with 12 people, dozens of text messages and documents assembled for a possible lawsuit against the campaign.

Elisa Rios, Peltola’s former campaign manager, supplied a detailed account after being fired in August. She said Peltola did not directly participate but was “definitely aware.”

Rios subsequently sought to retract all her statements before publication.

The Times said her account matched its other reporting and that her earlier interviews had been on the record. She has not filed the wrongful termination lawsuit she had considered.

Recruitment Under an Alias

According to Rios, Democratic operative Jerid Kurtz told campaign participants in early 2026 that he had contacted the Petersburg Sullivan and found him receptive to running if it benefited Peltola.

Text messages reviewed by the Times showed campaign and DSCC officials arranging calls and requesting updates about Kurtz over several months.

Kurtz did not respond to the newspaper’s requests for comment.

Matthew Salisbury, a former U.S. House candidate, separately described repeated recruitment approaches from a man calling himself Zane.

Shown a photograph of Kurtz, Salisbury identified him as that man. He ultimately declined to run.

The effort also allegedly extended to clearing competing Democrats from the field.

After progressive David Leslie secured a general-election place in August, Kurtz joined those urging him to withdraw, the Times reported.

Leslie’s departure opened a place for Heikes, who said an unidentified Midwestern man had encouraged his candidacy and promised outside support.

Heikes did not identify Kurtz as his recruiter.

Court Challenges Follow

Alaska’s nonpartisan primary system allows candidates to select a party label without party approval, making such recruitment easier.

Republicans used a similar tactic against Peltola during her House re-election campaign two years ago.

Republicans challenged Petersburg Sullivan’s candidacy after he switched his registration to Republican shortly before filing.

Alaska’s Supreme Court rejected their attempt to remove him in June, finding no basis in state law or the U.S. Constitution.

The Justice Department filed a separate federal lawsuit last week at President Donald Trump’s urging, seeking to prevent certification if votes for the namesake deprive the incumbent of victory.

That case remains pending.