Alaska governor orders inquiry into Peltola Senate campaign

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy ordered an investigation Thursday into Democrat Mary Peltola’s Senate campaign after a New York Times report alleged that it worked with allies to recruit a candidate who shares the name of her Republican opponent, incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan.

Dunleavy, a Republican, said the state Department of Public Safety would examine “whether this scheme violated Alaska’s laws and whether criminal charges or civil action are warranted.” In a post on X, he called the report “disturbing new evidence” and added: “The evidence will determine what happens next.”

The Times reported that Peltola’s campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee sought a candidate named Dan J. Sullivan in an effort to draw votes away from the incumbent. The newspaper cited interviews with 12 people involved in the plan, told about it or approached as potential recruits, as well as dozens of text messages among participants. Peltola’s campaign has denied involvement with either Sullivan campaign. The DSCC said it “is not involved with Dan J. Sullivan.”

The Times quoted Elisa Rios, Peltola’s former campaign manager, who was fired in August. Rios later contacted the newspaper and “retracted all statements made regarding the 2026 Alaska Senate Race,” the Times said. It also reported that she had planned to file a wrongful termination lawsuit against the campaign but had not done so.

President Donald Trump, asked Thursday whether Republicans should refuse to seat Peltola if she wins, said, “you’re going to have to see what happens.” He added that it was “hard to believe that she could even be allowed to run.” After the Times report, Trump called for Peltola and the challenger Sullivan to be removed from the ballot and prosecuted.

Vice President JD Vance said Thursday that authorities “should certainly look into whether she committed election fraud.” He accused Peltola of trying to steal a Senate seat and said that, whether or not her conduct was criminal, he believed it was a “great moral failing.”

NBC News previously reported that state and federal prosecutors were investigating the second Sullivan’s candidacy and that a grand jury issued subpoenas in August for information from witnesses linked to his campaign. The Justice Department filed a lawsuit last week seeking to block certification of the election if the incumbent Sullivan loses.

Recruiting a candidate to draw votes from an opponent does not necessarily break the law. NBC News election analyst Stephen Richer said those involved could be legally in the clear if there was “no inducement, like money or threats” and the candidate chose to run of his own accord. The Times reported no evidence that Dan J. Sullivan was coerced; he has said he entered the race on his own.

House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, a Republican, said Thursday that his committee was seeking interviews with Rios and Democratic operative Jerid Kurtz, whom the Times identified as involved in recruiting the challenger. Comer warned that the committee could consider compulsory measures if they did not appear voluntarily. The Times said Kurtz did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

Both parties have previously supported candidates who might draw votes from opponents. The Peltola campaign and the DSCC pointed to Republican efforts to promote such candidates while denying involvement in Dan J. Sullivan’s campaign.