Trump calls for Peltola’s removal from Alaska Senate race

President Donald Trump said Democrat Mary Peltola should not be allowed to run in next week’s Alaska Senate election after The New York Times reported that people connected to her campaign helped recruit a candidate with nearly the same name as her Republican opponent, Sen. Dan Sullivan. Peltola’s campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee deny involvement with that candidate.

“I don’t think Mary Peltola, after perpetrating such a terrible scheme, should be allowed to run, because this is ELECTION FRAUD,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. Speaking to reporters Wednesday, he called the situation “voter fraud at the highest level” and said, “They created a fake candidate.”

The second Sullivan, retired teacher Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., has denied that his candidacy is a ploy to confuse voters. Alaska election officials initially tried to keep him off the ballot, arguing that his was not a good-faith candidacy, but the state Supreme Court ruled that he could run.

Alaska voters will rank four candidates who advanced from a nonpartisan primary: Peltola, the incumbent senator, Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. and Republican Gerald Heikes. The ballot identifies the senator as a registered Republican and incumbent; it lists the other Sullivan as “Sullivan, Daniel J. Jr.”

The Times reported Wednesday, citing interviews, documents and text messages, that Peltola campaign officials and the DSCC worked to find Alaskans named Dan Sullivan and encourage them to run. According to the newspaper, the DSCC introduced the campaign to political operative Jerid Kurtz, who ultimately recruited the retired teacher after approaching another potential candidate. The Times described the effort as part of a broader push to add candidates to the race.

Former Peltola campaign manager Elisa Rios, whom the campaign fired in August, told the Times, “Alaskan voters need to know.” The newspaper said she later tried to retract her interview.

“The Alaskans for Mary campaign has no involvement with either Sullivan campaign,” a campaign spokesperson said. A DSCC spokesperson likewise said the organization “is not involved with Dan J Sullivan” and argued that Republicans have recruited or supported candidates to boost their own campaigns.

Sullivan’s campaign rejected those denials. “Alaskans deserve the truth,” spokesperson Nate Adams said, accusing Peltola and her campaign of denying a scheme they were carrying out.

Last week, the Justice Department sued to prevent certification of the election if the senator loses because of voter confusion over the two Sullivans. Attorney General Todd Blanche described the suit as an effort to “put guardrails in place.” Asked about it, Trump told reporters, “Well, I’m the one that said, ‘Do it.’”

The Guardian reported that Democrats are targeting the Alaska seat as they seek a Senate majority; Republicans hold 53 seats to Democrats’ 47. The race pits Sullivan, seeking a third term, against Peltola, a former U.S. representative. Both will remain on the ballot alongside the other two candidates.