Dan Sullivan Accuses Mary Peltola Campaign Of Alaska Senate Election Scheme

Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, has accused his Democratic challenger, Mary Peltola, and senior Democratic operatives of attempting to mislead Alaska voters through an alleged effort to recruit another candidate with the same name as the incumbent senator.

Speaking to Fox News host Sean Hannity on Wednesday, Sullivan said the reported operation involved Peltola’s campaign and senior aides at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC). The allegations were detailed in a report published by The New York Times on Wednesday, October 28.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Federal Judge Dismisses Trump Lawsuit Challenging NYC Sanctuary Laws

"This is a scandal at the highest order," Sullivan said during the interview. "She and her team, and at the highest levels of the DSCC, spent over a year scheming in a secret operation to trick Alaskans to get them to throw away their vote," he said. "It's remarkable. The Democrats will do anything to gain power."

The allegations center on the presence of two candidates named Dan Sullivan on Alaska’s U.S. Senate ballot. Sullivan, a Republican seeking re-election, said the reported effort was intended to confuse voters and divert support from his campaign.

"They've been lying for almost a year about it, and now they're caught," Sullivan told Hannity.

Alaska Senate Election Faces Scrutiny Over Two Candidates Named Dan Sullivan

The Justice Department is seeking to delay certification of Alaska’s U.S. Senate election results amid the controversy surrounding the two candidates with similar names on the ballot.

The incumbent senator appears as "Sullivan, Dan S.," while the other candidate, a retired schoolteacher, is listed as "Sullivan, Daniel J. Jr."

Federal prosecutors are conducting an "aggressive criminal investigation" into how the second Sullivan obtained a place on the ballot, according to two sources familiar with the matter who spoke to Fox News.

The investigation comes as control of the U.S. Senate remains a significant factor in the 2026 midterm elections. Sullivan argued that the outcome of the Alaska race could affect which party holds the chamber's majority.

"This goes to the highest levels of the government," he said on "Hannity." "The seat in Alaska could determine who controls the United States Senate. This isn't just about Alaska — this is about America."

Mary Peltola Denies Involvement In Alleged Alaska Ballot Scheme

Peltola has rejected the allegations, describing the reports as "just another distraction." She also argued that The New York Times published its report to "sell newspapers."

Her campaign has maintained that it was not involved in the efforts associated with either candidate named Sullivan. In an earlier statement to Fox News, the Alaskans for Mary campaign said it "has no involvement with either Sullivan campaign."

Sullivan, meanwhile, accused Peltola of hypocrisy, pointing to her campaign's criticism of alleged corruption.

"She's run a campaign about supposed corruption. She's the corrupt one working with D.C. insiders to trick Alaskans," he said.

"[Peltola and the DSCC] think so little of Alaskans that they thought they can trick them," he added.

The allegations against Peltola's campaign and the DSCC have not been established as fact in the information provided. Her campaign has denied involvement in either Sullivan campaign.

Dan Sullivan Says Peltola Campaign Lacks Record To Challenge Him

Sullivan also argued that his Democratic opponent had little to offer voters and suggested that the alleged effort to recruit another candidate with his name stemmed from her campaign's political position.

"This is what happens when you have a candidate like Peltola — far-left — who's got nothing to run on," Sullivan said.

"I have a much stronger record… We have a vision for Alaskans that the Alaskan people want, and when they recognize that, they're like, ’Shoot, I guess we've got to cheat.’"

Sullivan said he intends to ensure that voters throughout Alaska hear about the allegations before the election results are certified.

"We're going to make sure every single Alaskan knows about this," he said.

"We are campaigning 24/7, and we're telling every Alaskan, ‘Don't let your vote be stolen.’"