# Alaska Senate Race: Trump Accuses Democrats of Ballot Confusion

> Trump claims Democrats recruited fake Dan Sullivan to confuse Alaska voters in Senate race.
- Title: Alaska Senate Race: Trump Accuses Democrats of Ballot…
- Summary: Trump claims Democrats recruited fake Dan Sullivan to confuse Alaska voters in Senate race. Trump says Democrats recruited a fake Dan Sullivan to boost…
- Keywords: alaska, senate, dan sullivan, mary peltola, alaska senate race, doj lawsuit, truth social, ranked-choice voting, alaska election, Race, Trump, Accuses
- Source: Newsweek — https://newsweek.com/alaskas-two-dan-sullivans-controversy-just-got-more-complicated-12631913
- Published: 2026-10-28T18:35:20+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: alaska, senate, dan sullivan, mary peltola, alaska senate race, doj lawsuit, truth social, ranked-choice voting, alaska election
## Alaska Senate Race Complicated
Alaska’s Senate race has been roiled by a new investigation from The New York Times reporting that Democratic operatives were allegedly involved in recruiting a candidate who shares the name of GOP Senator Dan Sullivan.
## 2026 Midterm Senate Toss-Up
The race has become one of the most closely watched elections in the 2026 midterms and is one of a handful of toss-ups that could determine the balance of power in the Senate.
## Alaska’s Ranked-Choice System
Alaska uses a ranked-choice jungle electoral system where all candidates appear on a single ballot in the primary and the four with the most support advance to the general election.
## Two Dan Sullivans on Ballot
Peltola and Sullivan will be joined by two other Republicans on the ballot, Gerald Heikes and Daniel J. Sullivan.
## Republicans Seek Removal
Republicans have sought to have Daniel J. Sullivan removed from the ballot, alleging that his candidacy is meant to confuse voters and boost Peltola’s chances.
## New York Times Report
The Times, citing interviews, text messages and documents prepared for a potential lawsuit, reported that Peltola’s team allegedly worked with people trying to recruit Daniel J. Sullivan and other potential spoilers.
## Alleged Recruitment Effort
The alleged effort began in 2025 when Democratic aides were asked to compile a list of Dan Sullivans who live in Alaska, which included the eventual Republican challenger.
## Daniel J. Sullivan Files
Daniel J. Sullivan, who is not a fan of President Donald Trump, indicated he would be interested in running to help Peltola and eventually filed paperwork in May 2026.
## Republican Criticism
His candidacy quickly drew criticism from Republicans, who led an unsuccessful effort to remove him from the ballot.
## DOJ Lawsuit Against Alaska
The Department of Justice has sued Alaska over the candidacy of Daniel J. Sullivan.
## Trump’s Response
Trump responded to the report in a post to Truth Social Wednesday afternoon, accusing Democrats of trying to 'defraud, confuse, and obfuscate the Election'.
## Trump’s Call for Consequences
Trump said Democrats made 'false statements' 'under oath in Federal Court' and should be liable for very serious consequences.
## DOJ Lawsuit Details
The DOJ says the 'sole purpose' of Daniel J. Sullivan’s candidacy is to 'benefit the Peltola campaign by reducing the number of votes for Senator Sullivan'.
## Alaska Election Officials
Alaska election officials said they 'designed the ballot to distinguish' between the two Sullivans as much as possible.
## Key takeaway

Trump says Democrats recruited a fake Dan Sullivan to boost Peltola's Senate chances in Alaska.