Alaska Officials Push Back on DOJ Role in Peltola Race

WHO:

CNN - Alaska Department of Law spokesperson Sam Curtis said the New York Times report confirmed election officials’ “initial concerns” about Daniel J. Sullivan’s candidacy but had “no impact on the current litigation.”

CNN - Mary Peltola, Alaska’s former at-large House member and a Democratic Senate candidate, has denied involvement in Daniel J. Sullivan’s campaign. Her campaign said it “has no involvement with either Sullivan campaign.”

CNN - Republican Sen. Dan S. Sullivan’s campaign spokesperson Nate Adams accused Peltola and her campaign of “gaslighting Alaskans.”

CBS News - The New York Times reported that a Democratic operative who worked with Peltola’s campaign and national Democrats helped encourage Daniel J. Sullivan to run, citing text messages and interviews.

CBS News - Daniel J. Sullivan, a retired teacher, denied being a sham candidate and said he was genuinely interested in running for Senate.

CNN - Attorney General Todd Blanche cited the Times report in defending the Justice Department’s lawsuit; election law specialists Rick Hasen, Franita Tolson and Derek Muller commented on the report and litigation.

NBC News Politics - The Peltola campaign denied the New York Times report alleging it recruited a candidate sharing Sen. Dan Sullivan’s name.

WHAT:

CNN - Alaska officials said the Times report did not change the state’s opposition to the Trump administration’s lawsuit, which seeks to potentially delay election certification.

CNN - Curtis said candidate ballot access is governed by state, not federal, law. He said the Alaska Supreme Court had ordered Daniel J. Sullivan’s name onto the ballot and that the federal law cited by DOJ neither determines who may run nor authorizes the relief sought.

CBS News - President Trump wrote that Peltola “shouldn’t be allowed to run,” calling the alleged scheme “ELECTION FRAUD” and saying, “The Democrats cheated!” He also said he directed DOJ to file its lawsuit.

CBS News - The four candidates who advanced from Alaska’s nonpartisan primary include Peltola, Sen. Dan Sullivan and retired teacher Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. The ballot lets voters rank candidates; it identifies the senator as a Republican and incumbent, while Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. has no party affiliation listed.

CNN - DOJ told a federal judge it wanted to seek answers and evidence from Peltola’s campaign about the Times report and the Sullivan candidacy, which it called a “conspiracy.”

CBS News Politics - A segment summarized the Times report as alleging that Peltola’s campaign recruited a second Dan Sullivan as a spoiler and that Peltola knew about the effort.

WHERE:

CNN - The dispute concerns Alaska’s Senate election and a federal lawsuit before a federal judge.

CBS News - The Senate race is in Alaska; the lawsuit seeks to prevent certification if Sen. Dan Sullivan loses because of alleged voter confusion.

WHEN:

CBS News - The article was published October 28, 2026, at 7:52 p.m. EDT.

CNN - The Times report was published Wednesday; DOJ filed its lawsuit the prior week.

CBS News - The four candidates had advanced from a nonpartisan primary earlier in 2026.

WHY:

CNN - DOJ says the two candidates named Sullivan could confuse voters; its lawsuit seeks to prevent certification if Sen. Dan Sullivan loses for that reason.

CBS News - Republicans described Daniel J. Sullivan as a “sham candidate” intended to mislead voters; he denied that characterization.

CNN - Democratic groups said Republican organizations had also supported lesser-known candidates, including through a super PAC that attacked Peltola and promoted Democratic and Green Party candidates.

HOW:

CNN - President Trump criticized Peltola in multiple Truth Social posts, writing that she “should be removed from the Ballot and prosecuted,” and adding, “So should the FAKE Dan Sullivan.”

CBS News - The Alaska Supreme Court reversed state officials’ decision to exclude Daniel J. Sullivan, allowing him onto the ballot.

CNN - President Trump and Vice President JD Vance had traveled to Alaska in recent weeks; both were reported as taking an interest in the race.

(UPDATED October 29, 2026 01:15 UTC)

The Justice Department is asking a federal judge to block certification of Alaska’s Senate race if Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan loses because voters were confused by another candidate with the same name. The New York Times reported that a Democratic operative connected to Mary Peltola’s campaign helped encourage retired teacher Daniel J. Sullivan to run, but Peltola’s campaign denied involvement, and Daniel Sullivan said he genuinely wanted to run. Alaska officials say the report does not change their opposition to the lawsuit, arguing state law governs ballot access and the Alaska Supreme Court ordered Daniel Sullivan onto the ballot; President Trump has accused Democrats of election fraud and called for Peltola to be removed from the ballot.