DOJ sues Alaska to block Senate certification

The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the State of Alaska on Thursday, asking the state to hold off on certifying the results of the Senate race. The suit argues that voter confusion could affect the outcome, specifically citing the presence of two candidates named Dan Sullivan on the ballot.

The legal action follows a directive from President Donald Trump last week. He instructed the DOJ to challenge the certification if incumbent Senator Dan Sullivan loses to Democratic challenger Mary Peltola. The administration claims that Dan J. Sullivan, a candidate from Petersburg, entered the race to confuse voters and divert votes to Peltola.

Mary Peltola responded to the news on Tuesday night at a campaign rally in Homer. Speaking to reporters at Alice’s Champagne Palace, she expressed confidence in the electoral process.

“I have every confidence that Alaskan voters know what they’re doing, and I believe in the rule of law and free and fair elections,” Peltola said. “I have all the faith that this is going to get sorted out in the right way.”

The dispute over the Petersburg candidate has played out over several months. Dan J. Sullivan joined the race in late May. The state elections division removed him from the ballot on June 15. Both the Superior Court and the State Supreme Court later ruled in his favor, reinstating him on the ballot one day before the state’s deadline for printing materials. Peltola defeated the incumbent in the August primary, winning 49.54% of the vote to Sullivan’s 41.40%. Dan J. Sullivan received 2.47% of the vote.

Independent fact-checking by Alaska’s News Source has found no direct evidence that the Democratic Party recruited the Petersburg candidate. This finding contradicts claims made by national Republican organizations and the President. Senator Sullivan’s team said they would let the DOJ complaint proceed. A statement from his campaign noted that Alaskans can distinguish between a “Democrat sideshow” and Sullivan’s record of service.

Peltola also addressed a separate political development on Tuesday. Senator Lisa Murkowski announced her endorsement of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins. Peltola said that party labels should not prevent endorsements based on a candidate’s willingness to work with everyone.