“Justice Department Seeks to Block Alaska Vote if Republican Loses,” stated an alarming New York Times headline on Friday. That headline is not technically false, but it is so misleading it might as well be. And it’s especially unfortunate in an election cycle in which both parties are telling voters that their opponents are trying to rig the outcome.
Here’s what’s happening. In the Alaska Senate race, incumbent Republican Dan Sullivan is running neck-and-neck against Democratic challenger Mary Peltola. As with every close Senate race this year, the stakes go far beyond a single seat. Republicans currently hold a three-seat majority, but Democrats are favored to gain, so the result in Alaska may well decide control of the Senate. But there’s another candidate on the ballot who could prove to be the spoiler, and his name just happens to be—Dan Sullivan.
Yes, there are two Dan Sullivans on the ballot. The second one is a retired schoolteacher who allegedly has never run for office before, has donated to Peltola in the past, switched his party registration to Republican days before filing to run in the primary, and worked with a Democratic strategist on his campaign. In other words, while there is no proof, it is highly plausible that schoolteacher Dan Sullivan entered the race to steal votes from people mistakenly believing they’re voting for Senator Dan Sullivan.
Read more
