Two Sullivans on the ballot

Alaska’s Senate ballot lists Republican incumbent “Dan S. Sullivan” and unaffiliated candidate “Daniel J. Sullivan Jr.” Former Representative Mary Peltola is the Democratic candidate. The ballot identifies the incumbent as a registered Republican and the incumbent, while Daniel J. Sullivan has no party affiliation listed.

Republicans allege that Daniel J. Sullivan, a retired schoolteacher from Petersburg, entered the contest as a Democratic plant to divert votes from the senator. Daniel J. Sullivan says he is running on his own initiative. Republicans previously tried to remove him from the ballot but lost when the dispute reached the Alaska Supreme Court, News4JAX reported.

Federal case targets certification

President Donald Trump said Friday that he directed the Justice Department to file the federal lawsuit. The case would become consequential if the Republican incumbent loses: it asks the court to prevent Alaska from certifying the result until an investigation determines whether confusion between the two candidates affected enough votes to change the outcome.

The lawsuit cites language in the National Voter Registration Act referring to states’ responsibility to protect election integrity. Legal experts cited by News4JAX said the case was unlikely to succeed and noted that elections are state matters under the US Constitution. The report said the filing does not explain how the proposed investigation could determine voters’ intentions given ballot confidentiality.

Close race, national stakes

News4JAX reported that the contest could be decided by only a few thousand votes and could determine which party controls the Senate. Republicans argue that, in such a narrow race, voters mistakenly selecting the other Sullivan could affect the result.

The federal action has also prompted concern about administration involvement in midterm races, according to Al Jazeera. Attorney General Todd Blanche said Thursday that the Justice Department did not intend to interfere improperly with elections or state certification, although he did not rule out intervention in what News4JAX described as some form of “doomsday” scenario.