Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy ordered an investigation of how two candidates named Daniel Sullivan are competing for Senate on the Nov. 3 ballot after the New York Times revealed that a rival, Democrat Mary Peltola, recruited one of the challengers.
Republican Sen. Daniel S. Sullivan is defending his seat. The newspaper reported that his main challenger, Peltola, recruited retired school teacher Daniel J. Sullivan to cost the incumbent votes. But Peltola also got more votes than both Sullivans combined in the August primary.
President Donald Trump, who has campaigned for the incumbent, said Peltola should be charged criminally. The Justice Department has asked a federal court in Alaska to delay certification of the election results until after an
investigation of potential voter confusion.
“Deliberately tricking voters into casting their ballots for someone else strikes at the integrity of our elections,” Dunleavy said Oct. 28 on social media. “Anyone or any organization found to have broken the law must be held accountable.”
The Peltola campaign issued a statement saying: "The Alaskans for Mary campaign has no involvement with either Sullivan campaign."
Senate races are closely watched in the midterm election because Republicans hold a narrow majority of 53 to 47, so any change in membership could help change control of the chamber. If Democrats took control of the Senate, they could thwart Trump's legislative agenda and block his judicial nominees.
Peltola aides worked with the campaign's lawyers and senior staff at Senate Democrats’ campaign committee to recruit two candidates who are on the ballot and could siphon votes from the incumbent, Times reported.
Elisa Rios, Peltola's former campaign manager, told the newspaper that Peltola was aware of the effort but not directly involved.
Representatives for Peltola and Elias Law Group, whose attorneys represent Peltola, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee denied involvement.
Trump said Peltola should resign.
“Alaska situation is terrible," Trump said. “It’s election fraud − total election fraud − at the highest level.”
Sen. Sullivan blasted Peltola for the deception.
"Mary Peltola has no record to run on, so she and DC Democrats decided to cheat," Sullivan said Oct. 28 on social media. "Mary Peltola has looked Alaskans in the eyes for the past year and a half and lied to them."
Dunleavy noted that the Alaska's division of elections investigated concerns about voter confusion in June and that the new reporting supported the agency's findings. But the Alaska Supreme Court ordered the names of both Sullivans to remain on the Nov. 3 ballot, which lists Daniel S. Sullivan as the incumbent.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Tricking voters.' Alaska's governor investigates 2 Dan Sullivans on Senate ballot
