Sullivan to accept Alaska election result after judge blocks DOJ lawsuit
Judge Sharon Gleason ruled the legal challenge infeasible as ballots are already commingled, prompting a Department of Justice appeal ahead of the November 3 vote.
By Sakura Novak ·
Republican Senator Dan S. Sullivan said on Sunday that he will accept the outcome of the Alaska Senate race. His statement resolves a legal standoff that began when the Department of Justice filed a suit to block the state from certifying the results if the incumbent loses. The ruling by federal courts directly affects how the state processes ballots for the November 3 midterm election.
The Justice Department sought to decertify the election results based on concerns about a second candidate named Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. A New York Times report on Wednesday alleged that members of Democratic opponent Mary Peltola’s campaign helped recruit the retired teacher to run as a spoiler. The goal was to draw votes away from the incumbent. Judge Sharon Gleason dismissed the lawsuit on Sunday, calling it infeasible because many voters had already cast ballots. She noted that the ballots are now mixed so thoroughly that individual voter identities cannot be determined.
Gleason wrote that the United States did not provide a workable plan to segregate ballots cast for the other Sullivan on Election Day. She added that a court-ordered investigation would be difficult to conduct while preserving voter secrecy. The Justice Department announced on Sunday that it plans to appeal the ruling. The second Sullivan is listed on the ballot as Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., while the senator is listed as Dan S. Sullivan and marked as the Republican incumbent.
Senator Sullivan, an ally of President Donald Trump, told CNN that he is confident of winning. He accused Peltola and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of showing disrespect to Alaskans. Sullivan claimed his opponents could not run on their record and had to cheat. He stated that their actions had been exposed. Sullivan told the news program State of the Union that there was no way Peltola’s team had not informed her about the recruitment effort. He said she had been lying to the Alaskan people and the media.
Peltola insisted her campaign had nothing to do with recruiting the other Sullivan. She described the issue as a distraction from high prices caused by the US-Israel war on Iran. Her campaign also denied involvement. Before a rally on Friday, Peltola told KTUU that she had no idea if someone on her team had been involved. She said, "I have no idea." The Alaska Senate race is one of seven key toss-ups that will likely decide whether Republicans keep their majority in the US Senate.
Both candidates spent the final days campaigning across the state. On Saturday night, Senator Sullivan participated in a trunk-or-treat event at a recreation center north of Anchorage. He handed out candy to attendees and joked that his costume was the real Dan Sullivan.
