Alaska Governor Launches Investigation Into Confusing Second Dan Sullivan Senate Bid

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy announced that his administration is investigating a potential election fraud scheme involving a second candidate named Dan Sullivan. The probe began after The New York Times revealed that operatives connected to Democratic nominee Mary Peltola worked to recruit the Petersburg resident for the U.S. Senate race.

Dunleavy told Fox News Digital that the state did not possess this new evidence when officials first challenged the candidacy in June. The governor argued that Alaska’s ranked-choice voting system allowed the retired schoolteacher to reach the November ballot, a result he said would not have occurred under traditional party primaries.

"This would have never happened if we didn't have ranked-choice voting," Dunleavy said. "If this was a historical primary, a primary that our fathers and grandfathers had, this individual would not have gotten out of the primary."

The state Supreme Court previously ruled that both Sullivans could appear on the ballot, with the incumbent senator marked as such. Dunleavy noted that the challenger initially requested to be listed as Daniel S. Sullivan, a middle initial belonging to the sitting senator. The governor also cited the challenger’s website, which closely resembled the incumbent’s digital presence.

Former Federal Election Commission Chair Hans von Spakovsky advised investigators to examine whether Peltola’s team provided undisclosed in-kind services to the challenger. Under federal law, such services count as campaign contributions. Von Spakovsky pointed to a 2016 FEC case involving Sen. Bernie Sanders, where a prohibited foreign contribution of $24,422 resulted in civil penalties for both parties.

Peltola’s campaign denied involvement with either Sullivan campaign. The Democratic nominee dismissed the controversy as a distraction during a Wednesday campaign appearance. The lieutenant governor’s office, which oversees elections, was also contacted for comment as early voting continues across the state.

Dunleavy said the investigation will determine if any laws were violated during the recruitment process. He described the situation as smelling of fish, a reference to the state's maritime culture, indicating that the issue extends beyond a simple clerical error.