Senator Dan Sullivan is in a tight race with Democratic contender Mary Peltola as the Trump administration seeks to block the certification of the Senate election in Alaska if Sullivan loses. The administration argues that the presence of another candidate with the same name could confuse voters.
Lawsuit Details
In a federal lawsuit filed on Thursday, the Justice Department stated that the inclusion of another Dan Sullivan on the ballot could lead some voters to mistakenly cast their votes for the wrong candidate. Polls indicate that the race is close, with Peltola holding a narrow lead in the final days before the November 3 vote.
The government is requesting that the judge prevent the state from certifying the election results if Senator Sullivan loses by a margin smaller than that of the other Sullivan.
“"I'm the one that said do it," President Donald Trump told reporters when asked about the lawsuit after arriving in Florida for a campaign rally on Friday. Trump has labeled the second Sullivan's candidacy a "scam" and mentioned that his administration is exploring "powerful legal options" to address it.
Previous Court Decisions
Efforts to remove the second Sullivan, a retired teacher, from the ballot have previously been rejected by the Alaska Supreme Court. For the upcoming midterm election, the senator will appear on the ballot as the Republican incumbent. Alaska's ranked-choice voting system allows voters to select both Sullivans if they are uncertain at the ballot box.
