Democrats Reportedly Tried to Split Alaska Senate Vote With Second Dan Sullivan

Aides working for Democrat Mary Peltola reportedly sought to recruit another candidate named Dan Sullivan to Alaska's Senate race, aiming to confuse voters and draw support away from the Republican incumbent, according to a New York Times investigation. Peltola's campaign denies involvement.

The effort, which reportedly began in the summer of 2025, involved searching voter records for Alaskans sharing the senator's name and attempting to persuade one to enter the contest.

The Times based its October 28 report on interviews with approximately a dozen people, text messages and documents prepared for potential litigation against the campaign.

Campaign Aides Reportedly Pursued Namesake Candidate

According to the Times, a Peltola staff member was directed by senior campaign aides to compile a list of voters named Dan Sullivan.

The objective was reportedly to introduce a second candidate with the same name as Republican Sen. Dan S. Sullivan, potentially diverting votes from the incumbent in the November 3 election.

The recruitment effort extended beyond the namesake strategy. People working with Peltola's team reportedly pursued a wider "ballot composition project" that included encouraging other candidates to enter the race, considering outside spending and exploring the creation of a new right-wing party.

According to the Times, senior aides at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and the Peltola campaign's lawyers were reportedly involved in regular conversations about the effort.

Former Peltola campaign manager Elisa Rios told the Times that Peltola knew about the efforts but had not personally participated.

Rios subsequently attempted to withdraw those statements, a development disclosed by the newspaper.

Peltola's campaign has repeatedly rejected allegations that it helped recruit Dan J. Sullivan, the namesake candidate who ultimately secured a place on the ballot. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee also denies involvement, telling the Times it had "no involvement" in recruiting Sullivan "or any other Republican candidate."

Times Names Operative and Reported Funding

The Times reported that Jerid Kurtz, an Ohio-born Democratic operative, was reportedly the recruiter behind the effort, according to Rios. Kurtz did not respond to the Times' requests for comment.

According to the Times, citing Federal Election Commission records, a pro-Peltola super PAC, 49th State PAC, paid about $87,000 this fall to Wingspan Strategies, a firm Kurtz co-owns. The PAC told the Times it had "never hired or paid Jerid Kurtz for performing any services."

The Times also reported that Gerald Heikes was reportedly recruited to run by a man from the Midwest, though Heikes said he did not think the man resembled a photograph of Kurtz. Democrat David Leslie withdrew from the race on Aug. 31, according to the Times, after Kurtz reportedly met with him, opening the ballot spot Heikes took.

The Times noted that ballot-stacking tactics are common in politics and generally considered legal, and that both parties have used them in Alaska.

Second Sullivan Denies Being Democratic Recruit

Dan J. Sullivan, a retired teacher from Petersburg in southeastern Alaska, maintains that his candidacy is independent of Democratic campaign operations.

He says his decision to run stems from dissatisfaction with the Republican senator rather than an effort to influence the election on Peltola's behalf.

His candidacy has already faced a legal challenge.

On June 15, Alaska Division of Elections Director Carol Beecher removed him from the ballot, citing concerns that his candidacy was intended to mislead voters.

Anchorage Superior Court Judge Thomas Matthews overturned that decision. The Alaska Supreme Court upheld the reversal on June 29, allowing the retired teacher to remain in the race.

The August primary provided an initial indication of voter preferences.

Peltola secured approximately 49.5% of the vote, ahead of the incumbent Sullivan's 41.4%. Dan J. Sullivan received about 2.5%, equivalent to roughly 4,100 votes, while Republican Gerald Heikes took approximately 1.1%.

The namesake candidate subsequently told KFSK radio that he felt "pretty vindicated" by the result, which he viewed as evidence that voters had largely distinguished between the two Sullivans.

Trump-Backed DOJ Lawsuit Targets Election Certification

The controversy has also reached federal court.

The Justice Department filed a lawsuit around October 22-23 seeking to prevent certification of the result if Sen. Sullivan loses and votes cast for Dan J. Sullivan could have changed the outcome.

President Donald Trump acknowledged directing the legal action, saying: "I'm the one that said, 'do it'".

The case is before Judge Sharon Gleason. Peltola's campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee have sought its dismissal.

Campaign spokesman Harry Child characterized the federal action as a "despicable political threat".

Legal experts have questioned the lawsuit's strength, while Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski has criticized the federal intervention.

Alaska Republican Party chair Carmela Warfield welcomed the action. Her Democratic counterpart, Eric Croft, portrayed it as an act of political desperation.

The incumbent senator's campaign, meanwhile, maintains that Alaska voters can distinguish between the candidates and says it played no part in initiating the Justice Department case.

Close Senate Race Raises Stakes

The allegations have emerged as Alaska prepares for a four-candidate general election under its ranked-choice voting system.

Peltola, a former U.S. representative, faces Sen. Dan S. Sullivan, Dan J. Sullivan and Gerald Heikes, a Republican from Palmer.

A Rasmussen survey conducted October 12-15 showed Peltola leading the incumbent by 44% to 42%. Heikes registered 4%, while Dan J. Sullivan received 3%.

Earlier polling had also put Republican candidates behind in Alaska, and a New York Times/Siena poll found Democrats leading there by 7 points.

The narrow polling gap has heightened scrutiny of the namesake candidacy in a contest that could influence control of the U.S. Senate. JD Vance campaigned for Sullivan in Alaska earlier this month, and Trump rallied with the senator in Wasilla on October 13 amid Republican pressure to deploy the MAGA war chest in midterm races.

Early voting is already underway ahead of November 3.

The Times' findings have added a separate controversy to the legal dispute: whether people associated with Peltola's campaign deliberately sought to alter the candidate field to the incumbent's disadvantage, despite the campaign's denials.