From Vox · Cameron Peters · · 1m 30s
Trump sues to block Alaska Senate race
The administration files its first major 2026 midterm lawsuit, seeking to prevent certification if incumbent Dan Sullivan loses to Democrat Mary Peltola.
In brief
The administration files its first major 2026 midterm lawsuit, seeking to prevent certification if incumbent Dan Sullivan loses to Democrat Mary Peltola. The Trump administration sued to potentially block Alaska's Senate race certification if Republican Dan Sullivan loses to Democrat Mary Peltola, citing voter…
Trump administration sues over Alaska Senate
The Trump administration asked a federal district court in Alaska to potentially block certification of the US Senate race if incumbent Republican Dan Sullivan loses to Democratic challenger Mary Peltola.
The ballot confusion problem
Sullivan faces a close race against Peltola, a former US representative. But the ballot includes a second candidate, Daniel J. Sullivan, with no relation to the incumbent, complicating the election.
What the lawsuit asks for
The suit asks that defendants not certify any election result impacted by voter confusion, defined as a loss by incumbent Sullivan if the other Sullivan attracts enough votes to alter the outcome.
“Defendants not certify any election result that may be impacted by voter confusion”
The second Sullivan was already litigated
Daniel J. Sullivan was initially disqualified from the ballot, but the Alaska Supreme Court ruled he should be included. He finished third in the state's August primary, making the general election ballot.
Trump's track record on election suits
Trump and his allies filed dozens of election lawsuits in twenty twenty and were largely laughed out of court. This lawsuit has been assigned to a judge appointed by President Barack Obama.
The takeaway
The Trump administration sued to potentially block Alaska's Senate race certification if Republican Dan Sullivan loses to Democrat Mary Peltola, citing voter confusion from another candidate with the same name.
