Alaska Senate Race: Sullivan Alleges Peltola Recruited Name Duplicate
Senator Dan S. Sullivan claims his opponent's campaign hired a retired teacher named Dan J. Sullivan to split the vote, a claim the candidate has denied.
By Maya Morris ·
Alaska Republican Senator Dan S. Sullivan accused Democratic rival Mary Peltola of trying to confuse voters ahead of the upcoming election. Sullivan made the claim during an appearance on CNN's State of the Union. He said Peltola treats Alaskans with disdain based on a New York Times report.
The report relied on interviews and campaign finance documents. It suggested Peltola's team helped recruit Dan J. Sullivan, a retired schoolteacher, to run. The candidate's last name is identical to the senator's. Sullivan described the move as a tactic to muddy the ballot.
Peltola denied any role in the recruitment effort. Speaking to PBS, she said, I honestly have no idea, when asked about the hiring. She labeled the media attention a distraction from key issues. Those issues include high prices driven by the war in Iran.
Governor Mike Dunleavy ordered a criminal investigation into the matter. The probe will determine if laws were broken during the second Sullivan's recruitment. The race remains a toss-up according to recent polls. Peltola currently holds a slight lead in those numbers.
Democrats need to flip four Senate seats to take a majority. The Alaska seat is a critical part of that goal. Both candidates are focusing on cost of living and Washington problems as voters cast ballots.
Source: WGVL
