Alaska Democratic candidate says she did not know about second Dan Sullivan on ballot

The Alaska Senate race has drawn national attention for being one of the closest contests in the upcoming midterm elections. This week, Democratic candidate Mary Peltola stated she was unaware of a second man named Dan Sullivan appearing on the ballot.

Peltola spoke to voters on Thursday to address the growing dispute. She said she knew nothing about any candidate other than herself and the incumbent Republican, Dan S. Sullivan. She added that she was not interested in tricking voters.

The controversy began after The New York Times reported that Peltola’s team worked with individuals who attempted to recruit Dan J. Sullivan for the race. Dan J. Sullivan is a retired teacher living in a remote fishing village. The newspaper said it reviewed text messages and interviewed 12 people involved in or aware of the plan. The BBC has not independently verified these reports.

The Trump administration has escalated a criminal investigation into the matter. The Department of Justice began issuing subpoenas to Democratic officials allegedly connected to the effort to recruit the second candidate. As of Friday morning, no charges had been filed.

Governor Mike Dunleavy ordered an official inquiry earlier this week. On Wednesday, the justice department amended a federal lawsuit to include the Times reporting and the governor’s announcement. The lawsuit aims to prevent the certification of the result if Dan S. Sullivan loses, arguing that having two candidates with the same name could confuse voters.

Dan S. Sullivan and his allies have accused the Democrats of trying to create confusion at the polls. The Peltola campaign denies the reports from The New York Times. Dan J. Sullivan has also denied any links to the Peltola campaign.

Voters across the United States head to the polls in a few days. The Cook Political Report classifies the Alaska race as a toss-up. The outcome may determine which party controls the Senate.