Alaska senator vows to accept midterm results despite DOJ lawsuit
Republican Dan Sullivan says he will stand by the vote count even as the Justice Department sues to block certification over a rival candidate named Dan J. Sullivan.
By Maya Almasi ·
Alaska Republican Senator Dan Sullivan said on Sunday that he will accept the outcome of Tuesday's midterm election.
The statement comes after the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the state, seeking to stop officials from certifying the results if the incumbent loses. The federal suit argues that the presence of a second candidate with the same name on the ballot could confuse voters. The Justice Department believes this confusion might divert votes from Sullivan to Democratic challenger Mary Peltola.
The New York Times reported last week that Peltola's campaign recruited Dan J. Sullivan, a retired schoolteacher, to run as a spoiler. Peltola has consistently denied any direct involvement in recruiting the retired teacher.
Sullivan criticized the effort on CNN's State of the Union, claiming the report proved the Democratic team knew they could not rely on their record. He said they decided to cheat instead. The senator described Peltola as unfit for office and accused her of lying to residents.
Peltola pushed back against the allegations in a Friday interview with KTUU. She stated that she had no knowledge of the plan to draft a second Sullivan. The candidate called the situation offensive and noted that Alaskans do not typically trick one another in elections. She added that she has won statewide races on her own merits before and expects to do so again.
Governor Mike Dunleavy ordered a criminal investigation into the alleged ballot-stacking scheme. Alaska's Supreme Court previously allowed Dan J. Sullivan to remain on the ballot after an earlier legal challenge. Both political parties have used similar tactics in past elections, and the practice is generally not illegal.
The Cook Political Report rates the race as a toss-up, while FiftyPlusOne polling averages show Peltola with a slight lead. Democrats need to flip four seats to gain control of the Senate for the remainder of President Trump's term. This race has become a primary target for that goal.
Source: CNBC
